Remnants of the White City
by Watermelon24
Summary: When gloomy baby doctor meets spoiled merchant's daughter, it's not exactly love at first sight. But Law is to find out that taking care of his first patient is harder than expected...
1. Mushroom Head

Hey there! First of all, thanks for making the detour and for giving my little story a chance!

English is not my first language and it's been quite a while since I've first uploaded this story, so I apologize in advance for embarrassing grammar mistakes, punctuation catastrophes and other disasters... I'm desperately trying to get rid of them now, so don't hesitate to tell me if you see anything that needs rewriting or a one way ticket to the trash can.

Anyway, I hope you guys have a good time! :-)

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters.

* * *

Blue fog still rested upon the roofs of Flevance, when the sun crept over the horizon and painted the city in cold morning light. Cool wind, typical for the North Blue at that time of year, circled through the white streets, snaked in between white houses and blew over the bustling central market. In one of the white houses a girl awoke from a pleasant dream, when a lonely window shutter banged open.

Savenna snuggled up in her blanket and decided to doze a little longer. But a few more minutes was all she got. A knock on the door was followed by hasty footsteps entering the bedroom.

"Time to wake up, Miss."

Savenna recognized the voice of her governess Magdalena, a short and energetic woman who had been working for her family for longer than she could remember. Stubborn, Savenna buried her head under the pillow, but nothing would stop Magdalena from doing her duties. She got hold of the blanket and pulled it away.

"Do not provoke me, young lady. You don't want to be late for school."

Savenna pressed her hands over her eyes and sighed as Magdalena started changing the covers.

"I don't care about school!" she protested.

"Nobody asked me if I cared to work for a spoiled little girl like you, but do you hear me complaining? Now get going or the water will get cold."

Even though Savenna and her governess didn't share many pleasant moments, both of them knew when further arguments were useless. Grumbling a few curses she had picked up from her father, Savenna headed for the bathroom. With a listless expression on her face, she looked at herself in the mirror. Even at the age of eleven her dark eyes expressed an adult annoyance, and one could see that she'd inherited her mother's cold northern beauty. She was satisfied with the pointy nose, secretly displeased with the round baby cheeks and entirely convinced that her long, honey-colored hair provoked burning jealousy among her classmates. Yet none of it could hide the temper and the fragile patience she'd inherited from her father. Before Savenna could continue admiring herself, Magdalena buried a brush into her unkempt hair.

"Ah, that hurt!"

"If you had done it yourself, this wouldn't be necessary."

"I'll tell mother!" Savenna threatened.

"Be my guest! Maybe Madame can put some sense into that snobbish head of yours."

Savenna gritted her teeth but remained silent. While being urgently navigated into stockings and a fashionable dress, she put her governess onto the list of people whose lives she planned to make miserable the day she would have enough power to do so. Sitting at breakfast, she gave Magdalena a furious look, but was masterfully ignored.

The dining room was richly decorated and so was the rest of the house. Smooth tapestry covered high walls, thick rugs were laid out on marble floors, and colorful furniture imported from all over the North Blue filled every room of the house. The merchant estate was home to one of the richest families in town; Savenna's father had made his fortune in the lucrative Amber Lead trade and had traveled kingdoms she couldn't even remember the names of. Most of the time he explored the world on a white vessel with white sails and brought her a present every time he returned.

Even though her mother was a strict woman and wished for her daughter to be as well-mannered and caring as herself, Savenna couldn't imagine being part of a better family. She loved her parents with an extraordinary passion and although she wasn't often in good terms with Magdalena, she didn't hesitate to crawl into her bed every time a storm blew over the island.

This morning her mother had already left the house to work on a charity event she was organizing. As the family coach arrived at the main entrance, Savenna grabbed her white bag and followed her governess outside. Still mad at her governess she didn't bother waving goodbye, and greeted the driver with the intention to make her jealous. To her disappointment however, Magdalena didn't seem to care. When she closed the front door, Savenna snorted and leaned back into her seat.

School was the only unpleasantness she had to endure in her daily life. At least that was what she told herself every week. Even though she was proud to be the best student in class, geography was the only subject that got her to lift her head form her desk. Her father had lived his whole life at sea and had told her about every port where he let down the anchor, about the people he met and most important of all, about the pirates who had crossed his path. However, teachers kept quiet about the increasing amount of pirates ravaging the coasts of the North Blue, covering subjects deemed less disturbing. Meanwhile, Savenna couldn't wait for school to be over and dreamed about traveling the world under her own Jolly Roger.

Since she entertained the habit of being late, the driver was used to maneuvering them through morning traffic at a breakneck pace and managed to drop her off at school the moment the bell went off. When she arrived the classroom was already teeming with students, chatting and bragging about their weekend adventures. Quietly Savenna sneaked in, took a seat in the back and fished some books out of her bag. Immediately a shadow appeared over her.

"Did your driver forget to lift you out of the carriage, princess? Or why are you in such a bad mood?" Pablo, a tall, sneering boy hovered over her like a predator. Since they both had entered school he hadn't stopped picking on her, but she had never ceased to find it amusing.

"Shut up. Or do you want me to tell on you? I'm sure the teacher won't be happy to hear about you trying to steal my stuff again," she replied with a dramatic sigh.

Pablo's eyes hardened. "Liar!"

"Calm down, peasant. Just stop bothering me and I won't get you expelled," she suggested soberly. If there was a thing Savenna was sure about, then that she could make the pretty much anything happen if she really wanted to. Nothing stopped her from lying and manipulating people to solve a problem. She couldn't fight pirates, but she could stand for herself effortlessly. Pablo growled knowing that for now he was powerless.

"One day you'll get what you deserve," he muttered, his head hanging low.

Savenna chuckled. "What do I care! If you want something, get in line. If not just leave me alone." Pablo's hands clenched to fists but he turned around and walked away, leaving a self-satisfied smile on her face.

As the teacher entered the room, she had placed her bag on the empty chair next to her and prepared herself for a morning of meaningless lectures. But when she saw that the teacher wasn't alone, her attention was back on. She was followed by the headmaster and a boy whose face was hidden underneath a large, furry hat.

 _How rude_ , she thought and pretended not to be interested in the newcomer. But as the headmaster put his hand on the boy's shoulder, she couldn't hide her curiosity any longer.

He cleared his throat and said,"May I have your attention?" The classroom fell silent. The boy's eyes were still glued to the floor.

"Good. This morning I have the joy to present you a new classmate." He pointed to the boy with the rude furry hat. "This is Trafalgar Law. He will be joining your lessons from today on. Say hello to your classmates, Law."

The boy muttered something incomprehensible. Slightly embarrassed, the headmaster went on. "Law is from a very old family here in Flevance and I am sure he will fit in perfectly. I'll leave you to it then." His eyes wandered to the teacher who nodded with an optimistic smile.

"Welcome, Law. Why don't you take a seat...," she scanned the classroom for an empty chair, "next to Savenna over there? Don't be shy, she won't bite."

"Wouldn't be so sure of that," someone heckled in the back.

Savenna's eyes narrowed. When she saw the boy walking towards her desk, she thought that Pablo's threat might come true sooner than expected. She didn't value him with a glance as he sat down, awkwardly unpacking his bag. All the eyes were fixed at them until she frowned threateningly. The headmaster quietly left the classroom and the lesson finally started. While the other students directed their attention slowly back to the front, Savenna didn't hear a word the teacher said. She was too busy observing her neighbor from the corner of her eye. His hat looked like a giant mushroom casting shadows on his face. As if caution was a matter of life and death he took his time sorting out every pencil and textbook, and arranging them perfectly on his desk. Suddenly he interrupted what he was doing and turned to her.

Savenna stiffened but was quickly master of herself again. "What are you looking at, Mushroom Head?"

The boy froze. "No-nothing..."

Savenna snorted scornfully and gave her best to embarrass him. "Don't you think it's rude to wear that helmet of yours in class?"

When he didn't answer, she thought that he was ignoring her and was eager to repeat the question. But he lifted his gaze and a pair of gray eyes looked into hers. Dark circles bordered them as if someone had drawn them on purpose. Savenna drew back, astonished by his sudden attempt of courage. Then the boy shrugged. "I like my hat," he said and looked away again.

 _Creepy_ , she thought. Why had she of all people to sit next him? But she wouldn't let some boy intimidate her. "How come haven't I seen you before? Aren't you supposed to live in town or something?"

"Bad luck, I guess...," he said quietly. The courage was gone as quickly as it had come. Savenna sighed. _Definitely not for me_. During the next lesson, she tried to ignore him as well as she could, but there was something strange about him that didn't cease to attract her attention. First he wrote quicker than any student she'd ever met and didn't make any mistakes, as if he calculated every letter in advance. She stuck her nose up high and tried to concentrate on her own assignments. But her thoughts were all over the place and when the teacher called her name, she froze in shock.

"Savenna?"

"Yes?"

"The equitation won't get solved by you staring at it. You've had enough time to think it over." She heard the teachers voice without understanding it. She was used to being the smartest student in class, but now she was just staring dumbfounded at the blackboard. She heard the others giggling maliciously.

"Why don't you just ask daddy, princess?," whispered Pablo from the front. Savenna felt her cheeks turning red and anger began to stirring in her stomach.

"I see," concluded the teacher. "Anyone else? How about you, Law? Ready to give it a try?"

 _That little peasant! He wouldn't dare!_ But Law nodded silently and solved the problem right away.

"Good! I'm sure you won't have any trouble catching up with maths." Savenna wasn't aware that she was staring at him, her eyes burning with rage. "That's it for today. Class dismissed." As soon as she heard the liberating words, she started packing her things.

" I'm really sorry. I didn't want to upset you...I am sure you would have got the answer too with a little extra time." Law's shy voice hardly rose above the silence, but it was enough for her to lose her temper.

"Excuse me?," she snapped. "Extra time? Who do you take me for? I'm a straight A student and judging by the way you look, your parents are hardly able to pay your tuition, so be quiet! And don't talk to me ever again!" With something between shock and sadness, his eyes followed her as she rushed away.

From that day on she avoided the boy with the rude mushroom hat. She couldn't care less about his existence, but the embarrassment he had caused kept nibbling on her pride. Spring passed and even in the chilly North Blue the air turned hot and stifling. In summer sailors, merchants and long time travelers returned home. High masts over-topped white town houses and made Flevance's spirits rise. Even under the summer sun the city looked like a town out of a fairy tale, and made people cross the sea just to prove that its extraordinary color wasn't just an urban legend.

The reason why Flevance looked like winter wonderland at every time of year, and why its residents enjoyed wealth beyond comparison, lay deep beneath the city walls. Amber Lead, an incredibly rare metal, was continuously extracted from the earth and was responsible for the islands boosting economy and its astonishing color. Despite the passion for herbs and tea, Savenna's father gave in to the economical pressure and traded with Amber Lead all over North Blue. And after many months of traveling he would finally be coming home.

With disheveled hair and a wide smile on her face, Savenna watched the ships come into port. All worries and anger of the past days were gone and she couldn't wait to swing her arms around her father's neck. Beside her on the docks waited Magdalena and her mother, both trying to conceal their impatience.

"I can see him! There he is!" the girl cried out with excitement. Her finger was pointed to a large ship with white masts and a white carcass that slowly approached the docks. Her mother didn't take her eyes of the long line of merchant vessels waiting to throw the anchor and Magdalena hissed, "Hush, Miss! Don't yell like that. He'll be here in time."

But Savenna's eyes were filled with sheer happiness and without warning she raced toward the inner harbor. She ignored Magdalena's angry outcry and headed directly in the direction of the ship. Without any thought of courtesy, she pushed everyone aside and made her way through the waiting crowd.

"Dad!" she called up to the shiny railing, waving her hand as high as she could. The sailors turned around and greeted her with a welcoming smile. She ignored every single one of them until a familiar face showed up on deck.

"Did you run away again, little demon?" Her father, a tall, dark haired man shot her joyful grin before giving the sailors last orders and hurrying down the wooden gangway. Strong arms closed around Savenna when her father pulled her up and spun her around in the air.

"Have you missed me?"

"Of course I have, stupid old man!"

Her father burst out in laughter. "Disobeying and disrespectful towards elders, you're more like me than I've hoped."

"I have to be if I want to travel on a ship, don't I? Pirates are not known for being polite!" the girl exclaimed.

"Still want to become a pirate, eh?"

"Of course! I read the book about Captain Roger. He sure was an amazing man! Teacher didn't want us reading it but I stole it from her desk when she wasn't looking. And after I finished it I hid it in Pablo's back pack so he got all the trouble." When her father gave her an astonished look, she shrugged. "He shouldn't have picked on me for being smarter than him."

Her father sighed and took her by the hand as they walked back to the docks. "You'll grow up to be a fine pirate, I can see that now."

The day of her father's return, a party was planned at their house. When the family arrived from the harbor, the white town house was filled with flowers, clanking sound came form the kitchen as the servants polished the fine crystal glasses and the smell of food hung in the air. Tired from the long journey, the merchant retired to his room to get some sleep while her mother took care of the orchestra setting up in the dining room. But for Savenna resting wasn't an option. With a happy mix of joy and vanity, she was going through her closet.

"I want to be the prettiest girl in whole Flevance tonight, but these dresses are way too boring. They look just like something teacher would wear."

Magdalena shook her head in return. "They look fine to me. You didn't complain yesterday."

Savenna sighed with irritation. "But that was yesterday! I've changed my mind. I want to look like a princess form the Grand Line kingdoms." Only then she saw that Magdalena was carrying a large box under her arm. "Oh it's a present from dad, isn't it? It has to be!"

"I wish it wasn't...," the governess said with resignation as the girl snapped it out of her hands. "Your parents really shouldn't spoil you like that."

Savenna pulled off the lid and buried her little fingers in silver silk. "Why not? Dad always said that I should be proud of who I am, no matter what others think."

When Savenna played with the dress in front of the mirror just like her mother used to, the governess mentioned that a little modesty wouldn't harm her either. "Have you ever thought about what would happen if your parents don't stay rich forever?" she asked.

"Why shouldn't they? That dress doesn't cost that much. And even if, I'll just become a pirate and steal all the money from the bad people who don't deserve it."

"Nonsense! Always your head in the clouds, Miss. Being a pirate isn't as easy as you think," Magdalena explained, tightening the silver ribbons on Savenna's new dress. The girl observed herself in the mirror, playing with a strand of her honeyed hair. "How do you know?"

"My brother was a pirate and it didn't end well for him."

Savenna's eyes widened. So it was true. Pirates didn't just exist in her imagination and between pages of books! She was too exited to notice the mournful expression on her governess' face. Even though Magdalena had been by her side since she had been little, the girl had never realized that the woman could have had a life of her own. The governess kept interrupting her daydreams by constantly tugging at her dress and trying to make something decent of the hair that had been ruffled by the sea breeze. For the first time Savenna didn't protest. She was too busy imagining an exciting future full of sea monsters and dangerous pirate captains. The gravity of Magdalena's words had been forgotten in an instant.

Soft music filled the merchant's house as Savenna and her governess finally came down. The first guests had already arrived and the servants scurried around filling glasses with champagne. Like a seasoned ball guest Savenna pulled her belly in, her nose up, and observed the room with an calculating gaze. Her mother was greeting the guests, while her father stood in the corner, discussing business with one of the other merchants. As his eyes fell on his daughter, he stopped the conversation and gave her a welcoming smile.

"I see you liked my present. When the salesman assured me it was real Alabastian silk, I knew it was perfect. You look more like your mother every day," he said and pulled her into the conversation. Magdalena thought of dragging her away, but Savenna seemed to be born for rich men's debates. As she kept eavesdropping, the governess couldn't help but wonder where the girl had that wit from. The child who never wanted to get out of bed had transformed into a feminine version of her father. Savenna was caught up in the story of an elder Amber Lead salesman who swore seeing the groves of the Sabaody Archipelago while sailing with the marines over Grand Line. Absorbed in the events that seemed completely unimaginable she didn't pay attention to other guests arriving. Suddenly she felt her mother's hand on her shoulder.

"Darling, adult conversations must bore you! Come with me, I want you to meet someone," her mother said with a melodic voice. Savenna excused herself and followed her mother's lead. But as soon as she realized whom she was supposed to meet, Savenna stiffened.

"Let me introduce you to the Trafalgars. They are both doctors at the city hospital. And I'm sure you and Law already met at school, isn't that right?"

A pair of gray eyes met hers. For a moment she wanted to turn around and run upstairs. But than she swallowed her pride and dropped a curtsy. The Trafalgars bowed smiling down at her.

"We're really happy meeting some of Law's friends. For some time we weren't even sure he had any," the mother admitted with amusement, gently putting her hand on her son's shoulder.

"My pleasure..."

In comparison to Law's strange, continuously gloomy and morbid appearance, his parents looked like regular people dressed up for a party. Both doctors seemed to be happy about the invitation, but Law wouldn't stop staring at his feet. A ridiculously long tie hang awkwardly from his neck, almost touching the floor. As usual the rude mushroom hat was casting shadows on his pale face, making it impossible to know what he was thinking. _Creepy. No wonder he doesn't have any friends._

"So what do you think of the school? Have you had the chance to meet any of the teachers?" Savenna's mother inquired, while the girl kept staring.

"No, unfortunately we were too busy to attend the meetings, but I'm sure everything will be fine. We thought that it might be a good distraction for Law to meet some people outside of medical school."

"Medical school?"

"Well yes, our son has been studying medicine for several years now. He's very talented and my husband and I want to help him to become the best doctor in the country, isn't that right?" The father nodded with a proud smile. "But then we figured it might be good, if he could spend some time with other kids, just to be like the others sometimes."

 _So that's why that bastard's so smart!_ Savenna snorted quietly so Law was the only one to hear it. _But a doctor? He looks more like he kills people in his free time!_ While her mother's eyes were full of admiration, Savenna didn't move a muscle. Never would she give that brat the satisfaction of being impressed by anything he did, even if he managed to cut people into pieces and put them back together the other way around.

"That's great, Law! I am sure, you will achieve your goal," Savenna's mother said. "I wished my daughter had some interest in honest work. But every time I turn my back, she gets herself in trouble. She's a smart girl but often her temper gets in the way of things. Maybe I should tell my husband not to fill her head with all that pirate nonsense..."

Savenna felt like struck with lightening. The embarrassment rose to her head faster than she could conceal it. As her mother went on, she wanted to tear her new dress into pieces.

"So, why don't you come meet my husband? And you kids go upstairs and play together. Maybe Law can have some good influence on you, right Savenna?" Knowing her mother this wasn't a suggestion. Savenna's cheeks burned with indignation as the adults left her with Mushroom Head who seemed to have grown mute. Suddenly, she felt that Law staring at her and turned around. "Again, what are looking at?"

"Aren't we supposed to play?" he mumbled. The circles around his eyes seemed to grow larger by the minute.

"Do I look as if I want to spend time with you?"

"But your mother said..."

"I'm not deaf, Mushroom Head. I know perfectly well what she said."

"I'm sorry... Did I do something wrong?"

"Shut up! You can pull that smart-kid thing on someone else. Maybe my mother thinks it's a good idea, but I won't even pretend that I like you. So do us both a favor and leave me alone!"

For Savenna the party was over. After rushing upstairs, she slammed the door and threw herself on her bed. She wanted to cry but her rage didn't let her. She ripped the ribbons out of her hair and kicked her doll house across the room. Who did that brat think he was? Thinking she would stand his presence another minute after him embarrassing her again! Exhausted from her outburst she let herself slide to the floor. She had always known that her mother didn't approve of her. She was a gentle and honest woman who valued kindness and respect above all. She was the best mother Savenna could imagine, but that didn't change the fact that she had never forgiven her for being her father's daughter. A proud, ambitious, selfish and short-tempered girl who had little of her mother's gentle spirit.

Savenna cursed and peeled herself out of the new dress. Listlessly she crawled to the bookshelf, she picked up a book and started reading, trying to ignore the feeling of disappointment sitting in her chest.

When Magdalena found her she was lying on the floor her face buried in the pages of Gold Rogers biography. The governess couldn't prevent herself from smiling. These were rare moments when she could care for the girl without being yelled at. It was astonishing how Savenna who seemed to carry all of the world rage in her, could look perfectly helpless once asleep. Magdalena approached her, pulled the book carefully out of her hands and picked the girl up. Effortlessly, she carried her to the bed and tucked her in.

Only when she wanted to give her a kiss did she see the little white mark on her chest.

* * *

Notes:

So this was the first chapter ... I hope you guys liked it! :-)

To **Jenny123jenjen** : Thanks a lot for the detailed review and for pointing out those evil grammar mistakes! That was super helpful! I hope I managed to catch them all... In any case, I'll make sure I revise the whole story before uploading the next chapter :-)


	2. The Price of Amber Lead

Hi again!

I'm back chasing impulsive commas and grammar gone wild... I hope you guys are still with me!

Here goes chapter 2! :-)

* * *

It was nearly dawn when Savenna was rushed to the city hospital. The family coach was abandoned at the gate, and the nurses working the night shift stepped aside when the girl's father carried her down the forlorn hallway.

His wife couldn't understand the frenzy that overcame him when Magdalena came rushing downstairs, knocking over two bottles of champagne just to tell them that Savenna had a white spot on her skin. She had tried to calm him when he ran off to the kitchen and started frantically pacing up an down. "How long has she had this?" he wanted to know, clenching his teeth just like his daughter did when she was angry.

She stared at him with confusion. "I don't know, Maddy takes care of these matters..."

"You are her mother, for god's sake! How could you have missed it?"

"Aren't you overreacting? She was fine a few hours ago. It's just a little birthmark, nothing to worry about."

"You have no idea what this is!"

She didn't and she refused to argue with him when his temper had taken the upper hand. Since she didn't believe the matter couldn't wait until morning, she told him to do as he wished. She however would stay at home and deal with the aftermath of the party just as it had been planned. In her stead Magdalena now followed the merchant through a maze of cots and wheelchairs, trying to keep up with his pace. The Trafalgars had already left, but the merchant had scribbled a message on a dinner napkin urging one of the doctors to come as quickly as possible.

Savenna hung sleepy in her father's arms without paying attention to what was going on. The evening had been exhausting. She could hardly keep her eyes open and tried not to think of the stinging sensation in her chest. But what had felt like her heart aching with shame and disappointment, now slowly transformed into clear, physical pain.

Dr Trafalgar was still dressed in a black suit when he caught up with them at the end of the corridor. With concern he observed the girl who was just happy not to see Law anywhere close.

"Please, follow me," he said and guided them into a small room with dimmed lights, far away from the patrolling nurses. On Trafalgar's request, Savenna's father put her down on a bed in the corner. Dizzy, she looked up at the doctor who gave her a faint smile. "Everything is going to be fine. Just relax and let me take a quick look at that mark, okay?"

She nodded. Wrapped in a numbing cocoon of fatigue, Savenna tried to follow the grown-ups' conversation, but she didn't understand why there were no nurses or other doctors around. Or why they had to keep their voices down.

"Don't tell me it's nothing, doctor. I've seen these marks before," she heard her father whisper as Trafalgar examined her. Savenna knew her father as a fearless man, and hearing his voice tremble made her uneasy. For a while, the doctor said nothing. Only after measuring, re-examining and pondering over the little white spot on her skin, he replied, "I have seen this before as well. But how come you know about this?"

The merchant hesitated. "I've got one myself. It appeared a few years ago and first I thought it was nothing. But then it started to grow..." He unbuttoned his shirt and revealed a large mark that had crawled over his shoulders down to his back. "On some days it hurts pretty badly."

"Did you tell anyone?"

"A doctor on Grand Line. He couldn't do anything. It was incurable, he said. Some kind of poisoning. He couldn't figure out how or if it was transmittable, so I told Magdalena to keep my daughter at a safe distance every time I come home."

"I'm afraid that didn't help," Trafalgar replied and ran his hand through his full but whitening hair. "The disease isn't contagious."

"Thank god! But what is it? Please, even if you can't help me, you have to help Savenna."

The girl's eyes were closed but she was wide awake. She pretended to have fallen asleep because she didn't know what else to do. She was afraid to face the doctor and feared that she would cry if she opened her eyes. She was sick. Her father was sick. And judging by the doctor's reluctant voice, it was more than just the flu.

Trafalgar needed time to find the right words. "The doctor on Grand Line was right about one thing. It is a poison but not a regular one. We called it Amber Lead Poisoning, when we first came across it several years ago." In the half-dark, the rings underneath his eyes resembled Law's.

"Amber Lead? It can't be the metal that's causing it!"

"Unfortunately it can and it is. That's why it's not contagious. It has poisoned the citizens of Flevance generations ago."

"I don't understand...," this time it was Magdalena's voice in the darkness. "How is this possible? The city has been trading with Amber Lead for ages."

The doctor scratched his head. "The metal has always been poisonous, it just took time for the symptoms to show. According to our research, the lead poisoned the first miners as soon as they had dug it out of the ground. We don't know whether it was the contact with air, sunlight or something else entirely that rendered it toxic for the human body. But the fact is that, because it takes such a long time to have effect, Amber Lead affected multiple generations without anyone noticing."

He paused hoping for a sign of comprehension from his audience. But both the governess and the merchant were staring at him with disbelief. "It came as a shock to everyone involved," he finally went on. "A few years back the first marks were observed on the skin of elderly people. Then their children started showing the same symptoms, and proved to have a significantly shorter lifespan than their parents."

"What...what do you mean?"

"It means that the lives of our generation will be a third shorter than those of our parents, and that the lives of our children will be even shorter than ours. That is, if we survive the symptoms. It hard to give an exact prediction..."

"This can't be true! How come no one told us?"

Now Trafalgar laughed listlessly. "What for? To cause panic? Even if everyone in this city knew about the disease, there's nothing they could do. Everyone who's family was exposed to Amber Lead is going to fall sick, if they leave the island or not. We've tried to keep it a secret among the doctors, but that won't work for long now... Finding a cure is the only option we have."

Savenna heard a sound like someone gasping for air, before she understood that it was her father trying to remain calm. "But...what is going to happen to my daughter?"

Trafalgar struggled with himself before he answered,"Savenna is the first one of her generation to be affected. Maybe that means her symptoms will appear more slowly, maybe it means something else. However, there's nothing we can do about the marks. They will spread until they cover the entire body. The rest depends on the intensity of the poison and on how efficiently her body will fight it. But in any case, without a cure the condition is fatal."

The night seemed endless. Scared and alone, Savenna remained in her bed. Everyone had insisted on letting her rest and she hadn't had the strength to hold them back. Her mind raced circles inside her head. She was too tired to cry. The doctor's words seemed unreal and yet she had the prove on her own skin. The fear she anxiously waited for never came. It was as if the disease was weakening her mind already.

Amber Lead. Precious, white poison.

Quietly she calculated her lifespan. She wouldn't grow older than thirteen. The number popped up in her head every time she longed to think of something else. She wouldn't get the chance to become a pirate or to finish school. Suddenly, the world felt so small that she thought it might choke her.

The first thing she saw in the morning was her mother. The otherwise attentive woman was sitting on the bed staring into empty space. Savenna leaned on her elbows and got up.

"What do you think you're doing? You are sick and you stay in bed until the doctor says otherwise!" her mother exclaimed in a harsh tone. Her eyes were red but she didn't show any signs of the shock she mush have had a few hours ago. Her hair was as pretty as it was every day, but the elegant clothes didn't fit the hospital atmosphere. Savenna couldn't do anything but nod. "You should have something to eat. I've sent Magdalena home to get something for you."

"Thank you," Savenna mumbled. Her mother gave her an encouraging smile. "In a couple of hours, Dr. Trafalgar will be done with his work and will take you to his house."

"What?!"

Her mother scowled and but her features softened, as she thought of how sick her daughter was. "So that you'll receive the best treatment for your illness! It's well known that the hospital is understaffed and I don't want you to be neglected. And don't worry about causing him trouble, it was his idea."

"But that's really not necessary..."

Her mother's face turned hard. "Not this time, Savenna. This isn't a game." With that she left. Of course her mother knew how serious the situation was. Magdalena, her father or even Trafalgar himself must have told her. But she wouldn't have suspected that her daughter knew about her own condition. Also, it dawned on her that the Trafalgars didn't invite her to their home just to care of her. They wanted to lock her up, to hide the first sick child from the eyes of Flevance. She sighed and let herself fall down on the pillow.

Dusk had begun to settle when Trafalgar finally showed up. In the meantime Savenna had eaten lunch with Magdalena who unlike her mother, insisted on discussing the events of last night. Her old neighbor had died of a disease he had called the "white dots", that's why she wasn't surprised when her father's trips to sea started to grow longer. He had believed to be the only one sick, so he had tried to stay away as much as possible to protect his family. The merchant himself came at noon and stayed with his daughter until Trafalgar came to pick her up. Like a seriously ill person she was put in a wheelchair as they left the hospital. A carriage more modest than what Savenna was used to, was already waiting outside. For the first time in a while her father hugged her, before lifting her out of the chair and into the coach.

"I can still walk, you know. Not that much has changed since yesterday." But her mother didn't allow any objection and kissed Savenna on the cheek. Magdalena, whom she noticed she would be missing the most, gave her a traditional wave when the coach took off.

White, shiny houses flew by as the driver spurred the two horses. While Trafalgar was silently looking out of the window, Savenna took the opportunity to observe the man. He wasn't as tall as she remembered from the party. The fading daylight exposed wrinkles around his eyes. His features appeared harder than his son's but something calm and reassuring radiated from him. Savenna then realized that she wasn't as afraid of leaving home as she had thought. Despite the secrecy, the doctors were good people.

It was just when she had started making peace with the situation, that she saw it. A white mark, doubtlessly larger than her own, trying to hide under the collar of his shirt. Trafalgar caught her staring and smiled weakly.

"You have it too," she muttered trying to conceal her embarrassment.

"I do..I know how you feel. It really doesn't make life easier," her replied.

"You want to lock me up, don't you?" It took her a lot of courage to confront him. Now that her parents were gone, she had to look out for herself. "I heard everything you said last night. I'm still not sick enough that I have to be treated at home. That's just what you told my mother. You don't want people to see me."

Instead of getting angry, Trafalgar's face turned serious. "Your father was right, you are a smart girl. So I will be honest with you. I don't know you very well but I am truly sorry for what is happening. This charade is only necessary until we find a treatment for your condition. But despite all of this I am still your doctor and I will do everything I can to help you."

Remembering her father negotiating a business deal, she listened quietly and nodded.

"Nothing would make me happier than letting you stay at home, but Amber Lead merchants are very influential people. So can you imagine what would happen if the government found out about this? You like reading history books, so you probably can. Fear would spread like fire after a dry season. The world government would put us under quarantine..." The carriage rattled over the pavement and turned around a corner. Savenna felt like floating next to herself.

He spoke to her like to an adult. Both of them were aware of their condition and knew that there was no point in pretending. In a strange way, she appreciated it. Then a thought crossed her mind. The doctor and Law shared the same last name. Last night's events had made her forget that simple but crucial fact. The familiar irritation provoked by his existence, made her feel like herself again. With a mix of spite and anger she thought of how unfair things had turned out. _That little peasant! Even if I'm going to die, first I'm making his life miserable!_ Prisoner or not, making people's lives miserable was the thing she was good at. Next to living with Trafalgar Law under one roof, Amber Lead poisoning suddenly didn't seem all that bad.

"What about your son?" Savenna asked. "What should I tell him?"

"Law doesn't have to know," the doctor decided. "He is going to see a lot of bad things in his profession, but I would like to spare him for a little while longer. Would you do me that favor?"

No talking to Law then. She couldn't agree more.

"The secret is safe with me."


	3. The Heart of Ice

As she made her way to the front porch of the mansion, dusk had already settled. A butler took care of her belongings, while she stared at the white house that rose out of the ground in front of her.

"Not all peasant after all...", she muttered, observing the large building with a single pointed tower rising up in the night sky. Being located at the city border, it had the chance to be surrounded by a large park. A couple of squirrels crossed the driveway and the smile disappeared. "Taking that back..."

Inside the lights were burning and the doctor made his way quickly to the front door. He still wasn't eager for people to suspect her condition. She followed him with growing annoyance. The woman she remembered form the party, waited at the door and gave her a welcoming smile. Madame Trafalgar, what a pleasure. Savenna made use of her talents and smiled back gracefully, thinking about how she despised every meter she had put back on her way to the house.

"Come on in, honey", the doctor's wife said and Savenna stepped into the hallway. "I really have to say, your mother has a gift for throwing parties. You have to tell her, that we all enjoyed the evening very much."

The expression on Savenna's face froze, as she recalled that she wouldn't see her mother or Magdalena again for a long time. But then she relaxed. "I will, Doctor Trafalgar!"

"Please call me Mary."

"Thank you, Mary. My mother will appreciate the gesture", the girl replied, but then the woman's face turned serious. She glared as Savenna with concern. "You don't have to pretend. I know about your sickness and please, if you need anything don't hesitate to turn to me", she said quietly.

"I will", Savenna replied politely, seeing a sad smile on the woman's face. _Don't give me that!_ If she had been honest, she would have preferred Law's mother to be an awful hag instead. That way she wouldn't have a guilty conscience for hating her and the whole situation as much as she did. The woman was as elegant as the last time she had seen her, wearing a plain black dress with her hair assembled into a tight knot on the back of her head. Savenna had to admit that she envied her beauty. Despite being a little girl, she couldn't help but compare herself to every pretty woman she met. Either she felt the triumph over her or she turned green with jealousy. And even sick with Amber Lead, she held onto old habits.

Mary took her gently by the arm and led her further down the hall, where she saw a couple of servants setting the table for dinner. Behind them she heard the doctor closing the door and rushing away. But as her eyes fell on the two figures waiting at the bottom of a double staircase, her fake smile froze. Law and a little, whiny looking girl stood there as stiffly as if the two of them had swallowed a broomstick.

Her host stopped and asked her friendly to come along. That was when the girl realized that she had fallen behind. With large steps she caught up. She felt Law's gloomy gaze upon her but she pretended not to. His watery eyes followed her under the rim of that ridiculous hat while she smiled at Mary with provocation. Savenna waited for him to say something but he didn't. His mother started talking instead. "Law, there you are! You wouldn't miss your friend's arrival, would you?" Then she turned to the little girl.

"Lamie, this is Savenna", she said and waited. But the plain looking girl was just staring at the stranger with wide eyes, admiring the shiny fabric of her gown. The woman cleared her throat. "Remember what I taught you about greeting your guests?"

Lamie's features froze as she managed a shy curtsy. "That's right! Now, I know that must be hard to hear but Savenna is quite sick." The little girl gasped for air and examined her with anxious eyes. The older girl frowned with hidden disgust.

"You must understand that she suffers form a very special illness and I need you be kind to her", Mary continued. "She will be staying with us, so that your father can take care of her until she gets better. Also she won't be able to attend class for the next few month, so I would appreciate if you could make sure she gets her homework nevertheless. Would you do that, Law?"

The boy nodded, suddenly looking up. His gloomy features had lightened up with shock. "What is it you have? Are you not feeling well?", he asked with an agitated voice, immediately turning toward Savenna. She wanted to back away, but her feet didn't move.

"I...", she began to make up a decent lie in the back of her head but Mary interrupted her swiftly.

"Where are your manners, young man? That's not a matter to discuss in public!" Law muttered an excuse and lowered his gaze again. Savenna felt suddenly so confused, she didn't even object as the woman shooed her up the stairs, followed by the servants carrying her baggage. She was shown to a dim room, occupied by a large bed and expensive looking furniture. It must have been the best in the house, given to her to ease the doctor's guilt. Mary opened the window, letting in a cool evening breeze. The suitcases were unpacked at her orders, while Savenna stared into empty space.

"Dinner will be served in a half an hour. I hope you have brought some hunger with you", the woman said with a smile, but as she looked at the girl it vanished. "What is it, darling?"

"I think I will stay upstairs tonight. I don't feel so good...", Savenna murmured.

"Do you want me to check on you? Or shall I call for my husband?"

"No, it's all right. I will simply lie down and get some rest."

"Right...", Mary mumbled. "Call if you need anything." The girl nodded and the moment she closed the door behind her, Savenna threw herself on the bed and wept into the freshly covered pillow. This wasn't the future she had in mind for herself. Being trapped in a house with all those people she never wanted to meet again. Suddenly she missed everything about home. She missed Magdalena yelling at her and her fathers stories. She even missed getting up in the morning to make fun of the narrow-minded kids at school. The parties, the music and dancing, now it was all over. She would never get away from these plain and boring people, who kept her hostage because they didn't want to lose their face in public.

For the first time since the night in the hospital, she felt truly sick. Her heart felt as if it were bursting in her chest. Her heated cheeks made her head pound and her vision blur. The room started spinning, her mouth felt dry and her limbs heavy. She couldn't care less if the poisoning killed her that instant. But instead, everything turned dark and she fell asleep.

Long after dawn had broken, she woke up. Somebody must have entered the room while she had been sleeping, for the windows were closed. Savenna groaned and rubbed her temples. Her mind still teemed with strange dreams the content of which she couldn't recall. Someone had changed her into her nightclothes, leaving a glass of water at her bedside.

She stared at the ceiling and sighed. Then she decided to pull back the blankets and to swing her legs out of bed. Her homesickness had disappeared over night and let her prepare herself for a new battle. Slowly, she lumbered toward the mirror. Her hair had come undone during the night and fell in honeyed layers over her shoulders while the white spot on her chest seemed to glow like ice covering her heart. She turned away without much concern. At least it did not get bigger.

She looked at herself and smiled. Despite the tears and the illness, her looks hadn't vanished. Before getting dressed, she flung the window open and observed the people on the street. Obviously the Trafalgar mansion wasn't as central as her own but she still could contemplate the noisy carriages and the morning hurry from the second floor of the mansion. With a sting of jealousy, her eyes followed the women heading toward city center, dressed in expensive hats decorated with flowers and ribbons. She let her head fall into her hands. After the events of last night she couldn't even imagine when she would be part of them again.

But what did it matter? Each battle started out small, she said to herself. For now it would be enough to show Law and that shivering little sister of his that they shouldn't mess with her. Then she would head for a bigger victory. Amber Lead poisoning or not, she was still the prettiest girl in town and would be the most powerful one, once she would grow up.

So she waited for her servant to come, but after she had set on the bed for a half an hour no one had knocked on the door. That was when she realized that she probably wouldn't have a maid for herself. Savenna cursed and finished unpacking her suitcases by herself. Of course those peasants hadn't taken care of her needs, she thought, deciding to send the butler for a maid first things this morning. Her rich self-confidence didn't fade even at her pitiful attempts to make herself presentable for the first time without Magdalena's help. Savenna cursed again as her hair got knotted around the brush while she pulled it with force through the rough passages. Her mind refused to admit that her strict governess was in fact irreplaceable, so she decided to make the best of the situation. After the hair was done she chose a black gown, knowing that she even the plainest color would make her shine more than the women under this roof. After another hour she was ready and convinced that she looked more dashing than ever and swept out of the door.

Hoping to make a glamorous appearance, she swayed down the big staircase. Only to find the hall completely empty. Confused she hushed through the dining room and the living room but her hosts were no where to be found. After she had managed to get hold of some servants she figured out that both doctors had already rushed of to work and the children attended school during the day. However, the doctor had left the kitchen maid, Sophia, with the duty to take care of Savenna while he was gone. Apparently she had been the one to put her nightclothes on.

"So why weren't you there to help me dress this morning?", Savenna wanted to know and frowned at the maid who was preparing her breakfast. Different from Magdalena, she was a small and skinny woman with a pale face and who didn't seem much concerned by the girl's complaints. "I'm here to take care of you in case you feel sick and the doctor's not able to tend to you. For the rest you must see for yourself", Sophia answered absently. _How rude_ , Savenna thought.

"When can I call for my own maid, then? I'm sure the doctor would want me to feel as comfortable as I did at home."

The servant did nothing more than to shrug. "Despite their money the Trafalgars are very modest people. We servants don't attend to any of the children to teach them how to take care of themselves. And I doubt the doctors would make an exception for you", she said, putting a plate of scrambled eggs in front of her on the kitchen table. To her annoyance she could hear the mocking tone of her voice and gave her a condescending smile in return. "We'll see." Then she looked at her plate.

"No way I'm eating my breakfast in the kitchen!", she exclaimed but Sophia couldn't care less for her agitation. "I'm not dressing the big table just for you. If you want to eat in the dining room you have to set it yourself", she said. Savenna's eyes narrowed as the anger stirred up in her belly. Then she rose, pulled her thong at the maid and left the kitchen without touching her food. Never would she give the satisfaction of giving in. But then she found herself in the empty living-room not knowing what to do next.

Savenna's day was a quite lonely one. First she read in the living-room until she got bored. Then she tried to convince the butler to play the piano for her so she could dance to the music as the people did at her mother's parties. Unfortunately the butler had never played a note in his life before, so Savenna had to play the waltz herself, to the displeasure of Sophia who didn't have an ear for music and called her distraction an annoying noise. That was when the girl slammed the lid shut and strutted upstairs. Although it wasn't her house, she had no shame exploring it by going through its owner's things.

The first room she came across was Lamie's but Savenna didn't spend much time in it. Children's toys bored her even more than servant's talk, therefore she continued her journey. After noticing that the doctor's cabinet was locked, she opened the door to the parent's bedroom. The decor was plain and went perfectly well with the rest of the house. Despite her education the girl enjoyed invading people's private sphere. She went directly toward the large wardrobe and swung the doors open.

Trafalgar Mary's clothes were less extravagant than her mother's and way less expensive but despite this fact the woman seemed to have taste. Savenna spent the next hours exploring the closet, trying on different dresses and nightgowns and turning vainly in front of the mirror. Looking at herself and imagining how she would grow up as pretty as the woman owning these garments, was entertaining enough. Next she went to the dressing table and tried on different lipsticks while kissing the air. After she had explored every drawer, she danced back into the hallway and noticed the second floor having only three bedrooms. One was missing.

After turning around aimlessly, she finally found a small staircase at the end of the hallway leading to Law's room. It resembled a servant's staircase, although she hadn't seen any of them go up to the third floor the whole day. Filled with curiosity she grabbed her skirt and walked up the stairs. The way up was long and at the end of the stairway she was forced to climb with both hands and feet. Finally she had arrived at the door and turned the knob slowly. The door wasn't locked.

With careful steps she entered the room and froze instantly at what she saw. She wanted to draw back, climb down the stairs and run but she wasn't able to move an inch. She felt the fear rising in her stomach as she watched the gloomy walls of the attic which were papered with images of skeletons and of blood red objects that she recognized to be human organs. Despite herself she advanced inside. A row of test tubes occupied the floor, glowing threateningly in the dark. The shelves and the narrow bed were crowded with books, some dusty others with worn-out pages. As she approached the desk, she felt an urge to vomit. Next to the usually sharpened pens and shiny flat knives laid one of the squirrels she had seen in the park a day before. Only wasn't it as cute as she had in mind. It's empty eyes stared at the ceiling, while a long, precise cut showed her the inside of its belly. She had no idea how long it had been dead but it looked life someone had cut it open just a few hours ago.

She swallowed hard, knowing suddenly that she shouldn't be here. Everyone in this house was either rude or completely crazy. The day she had first met the boy she had known that he was a bit off the rails but she couldn't have known how far. That was when she noticed something rather odd. With the dead squirrel, the notes, the pictures, books and a burned down candle the desk looked like someone had worked an entire night behind it. What on earth had he been looking for? But Savenna would have the answer quicker than she had hoped.

"Father has told me some things about your illness yesterday." Law's voice let her turn around immediately. She had completely forgotten time and hadn't heard him enter. His mushroom-head cast a shadow into the room, while he examined her with expressionless eyes. If it were anyone else, she wouldn't have cared being caught while spying around. But never had a boy frightened her more but she forced herself to face him, pretending to listen to what he had to say. He put the small backpack down and scratched his neck. He didn't appear angry for her being up here and continued talking: " So I wanted to know more about it. But don't worry, it doesn't seem very serious", he said. She backed away as he approached her.

"And that squirrel, did you kill it?", she wanted to know with a trembling voice. The boy shrugged. "It was just a test because father told me your illness had something to do with the island's ecology. Didn't help me much, though... I have caught another one today. Do you want to see? We can cut it open together if you like." He stretched out his arm toward her, holding a second squirrel in his hand. The animal was so paralyzed with fear, it could have already been dead. Law smiled at her and reached out for her hand but she set out a scream and backed away.

"Don't touch me!", she cried. Knowing she had to protect herself from him in every way she could, she said: "I'm contagious!" He seemed surprised but not frightened. Instead of leaving her alone he came another step closer. "Really? How come? I must tell father then", the boy said with a sorrowful expression.

But she didn't listen. She stumbled backward as her back touched a skeleton hanging on the wall and set out another cry. Law was too caught up in his thoughts to notice her despair. Then he set down the squirrel and Savenna froze. His gray eyes went back to her, as he gave her an encouraging smile. "You really don't have to worry. Everything is going to be fine. It's nothing bad if the squirrels don't tell my anything. My father is an excellent doctor, he will find a way to make you well again!"

Savenna didn't care for his nonsense. As soon as she had regained her ability to speak, her eyes hardened and she said: "Just keep away from me, you monster!" And with that she stormed away from him a second time.

"But your homework...", Law mumbled after her looking at the extra notebooks carefully placed in his backpack. But it was too late. She had already slammed the door and disappeared.

Law made several attempts to bring her the homework but she avoided him with all her social skill. She pretended not to hear his knocks on the door and kept on brushing her hair every time he passed by. The dead animals and the skeletons on the walls were the only things she could think about. Law wasn't a handsome child but to her he seemed to be a monster falling out of its horror story. With the large circles around the eyes in his gaunt looking face and the habit to cut animals open, he wasn't just the strange boy in school any more, but a freak. Savenna feared the room on the third floor and never spoke of that incident to anyone. But the longer she stayed alone, staring out of the window, the more she found his dreadful game interesting. Not for one moment did she take his work seriously. To her he was a child, playing with dead animals, never the son of a doctor who could actually help her. Maybe he was the first villain in the long adventure to come.

However, she missed everything about her life and thought only about the comfort of her own bed, as she was led to Dr. Trafalgar's cabinet for another examination. The first time she had paid him a visit, she had been surprised to notice how similarly organized his and Law's rooms were. Now he was sitting in a large chair, burring his head in paperwork as Sophia opened the door. He turned around and gave her a little smile. "Please take a seat, Savenna." She did as she was told. He asked her how she was feeling, she told him fine, except for being bored to death and the suffering from Sophia's rude behavior. She didn't know if he took her seriously, for he proceeded immediately to the medical part of their appointment. She coughed and stretched her arms for him, gave him blood and swallowed some pills. Even though she didn't quite understand what he was doing, he seemed very concerned.

"What is it, doctor? Am I getting better?", she finally asked out of impatience. First he didn't answer, making some notes into one of his books. But as he felt her eyes on him he finally turned around.

"I think it is time for me to make an appointment with your parents. We have some matters to discuss...", he said with a lower voice than usual. Savenna's heart skipped a beat.

"Why? What is it you can't tell me?", she wanted to know. Trafalgar looked at her with a slight astonishment, for she sounded calm and firm at the same time, not like any child he had ever treated. He sighed.

"Usually, I don't do this. A girl your age should be bothered with such formalities... But you live under my roof and you seem like you would understand what I'm saying, so I will make an exception."

Savenna nodded, waiting for the doctor's verdict. She sat perfectly still, as he took up where he had left off. "Your vitals seem fine to me. Sophia tells me you're eating well and with no fever or pain, you might be in very good health." He saw her eyes lighten up and found it even harder to continue. "However, there is something that worries me."

"What is it?"

"The marks. They're spreading." She knew about the first one. She had seen it two days ago while putting on her dress. The mark over her heart had grown bigger and covered a large part of her chest in an irregular circle. But as the doctor gave her a mirror she noticed with shock that the same icy color had spread over her lower back. "What does this mean?", she asked without taking her eyes from the spot.

"I suppose it means that the poison is spreading in your body."

"How long will it take until it's all white?", she wanted to know. At his sudden silence she figured that she probable wouldn't live long enough to find out. She gulped and tried to distract her thoughts from this dreadful conclusion.

"Is the same thing happening to my father?", she asked then but Trafalgar shook his head. "I don't know why that is", he said, "but the disease spreads slower the older the patient is. And that doesn't only apply to the case of your father. Some of my other patients complain about headache and fatigue but to tell you the truth, I've never seen the marks grow as fast as yours do. "

Silence filled the room while both of them were lost in their thoughts. "I will inform your parents as soon as I can", he said after a while.

"Savenna, are you listening to me?" She realized that her mind was straying.

"What will happen to me? I mean, if the poison keeps on spreading?", she asked finally. Her gaze seemed strangely expressionless, almost as if the doctor was looking into his son's eyes. He had to be honest with her, for he knew that she would find out if he did otherwise. And no matter how young, she was his patient after all. He cleared his throat and said: "I can't guarantee you anything. But as far as my research goes, you might start feeling dizzy, loose your appetite and suffer from occasional joint pain. Your body temperature might rise and you will have trouble getting up in the morning."

She nodded slightly, watching him. "Will there be a way to stop it?"

In her mind she was picturing herself turning completely white. Then she thought about Magdalena. Savenna had always been a ruthless and selfish child, a challenge only her governess could handle. In her most cruel moments, however, even Magdalena had lost her temper. It hadn't happened a lot but Savenna could remember that night she refused to go to bed even though her governess had been sick and staring at her with feverish eyes. "You can't imagine how sad I am", she had said, "having raised a child without any love or compassion! If it's that what you're becoming, I don't know if I want to come back to you." Eventually she did, after Savenna had thrown her arms around her neck and cried out how sorry she was. But she had never forgotten her words. And maybe, this time she would have to pay.

But as the doctor's voice filled the room, she was brought back out of her dream world. He too was watching her with tired and feverish eyes. "I made a promise to you and I will keep it. If there is a cure for the Amber Lead, I will find it."

She smiled at him and he smiled back. "It's the same promise I've made to my son, you know." The doctor sighed and leaned back in his chair. " You getting well means a lot to him and as stubborn as he is, he will try to help you despite the things he doesn't know. Even though he might seem unfriendly sometimes, he has a good heart. So please think of what we've talked about."

That explained why he hadn't told his father anything about the lie she had told him. He was trying to solve the mystery on his own. Savenna nodded, remembering the dead squirrels without the feeling of horror for the first time. Then he gave her an arsenal of pills and instructed Sophia about the medication before he finally released her.

The weeks followed as if their conversation had never taken place. Savenna looked as pretty as always, sitting at dinner and chatting about politics and town gossip. A suitable dress covered her marks and she was cautious to wear gloves every time she was around people to keep up the story about her contagious disease. Mary was far too fond of her, for she spoke like a grown up and was quick-witted and funny. The doctor avoided eye-contact as if it would make her illness less real. The little girl Lamie was always too shy to participate at the dinner talk and watched everything around her with big gray eyes. But as fulfilling her and Mary conversations were, no dinner happened without her talking about Law and his achievements. How she was proud of him, his progress at medical school and his good grades. While the doctor never talked much, the mother could barely quit.

Savenna could hardly hide her jealousy. She loved to pretend for Mary being her mother, never judging or correcting her. But with Law in the flash light, that wasn't possible. Law this, Law that. She was the one who was sick and needed attention! In that time, he was the one who got everything she wanted. A mother who was proud of him, a home of his own and the possibility to go wherever he wanted to. As she sat there, listening with annoyance, she never saw the look the boy gave her through the labyrinth of glasses and candles. Instead she tried to ignore him as well as possible, but she wasn't always successful.

One time after dinner the children were to help Sophia and the other servants in the kitchen. Savenna wasn't fond of this house rule but she had no choice than to obey. However, as she was leaning out of the window, doing nothing like most of the time, she heard some familiar steps. "You shouldn't be standing here without a coat. The wind in the North Blue can be really cold", Law said with a dish in his hand. Savenna turned around and sighed.

"Why don't you stop telling me what I should or should not do? You sound like my mother."

He shrugged. "I don't want your illness to get worse, that's all." Then he gave her a grim look form under the mushroom-hat.

"I can see for myself, thank you. I've lived here as long as you have", she replied and took a towel for the plates she didn't want to dry. Somehow she enjoyed fighting with him. It was the only possibility to express her true feelings under this roof. Law sighed and waited until Sophia and Lamie were out of sight. Then he said: "You should really take your condition more seriously. It won't help catching a fever now. And the teacher said, if you don't turn in your homework, you will have to repeat class next year. I can help you if you like, I've already done all the assignments."

The moment she realized that he tried to give her the responsibility talk, she got even more annoyed. "No, I will be just fine. I'll tell Madgalena to do it for me. You can go back killing animals if you want to", she said with her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"That was just an experiment! I didn't mean no harm!" Now Law started to grow angry as well. Savenna could barely conceal her satisfaction.

" Ah really?"

" Really! I bet you're just too stupid to understand!"

Savenna gritted her teeth and the glass fell on the floor. "How dare you call me stupid! At least my head contains more than just mushrooms, you idiot!"

"At least I do all of my homework myself and spend time with more important things than ribbons and dresses! I am way smarter than you and that's why you're always so mean to me! You're just jealous!"

"Take that back!"

" Make me!" That he didn't need to say twice. She forgot her vanity, eager to protect her pride. In no time she was on him, pulling his hair, trying to punch him like the pirates in her adventure stories. He wasn't prepared for this and landed flat on the kitchen floor, defending himself. But soon he forgot that he was fighting a girl and hit back. He pulled her hair, she bit his arm while they were rolling around the kitchen like two animals fighting for their territory. As someone kicked the leg of the table, the dry plates sailed down and scattered on the floor in many pieces. None of them noticed it, but Sophia set put a cry as she re-entered the kitchen.

" What in God's name is going on here?!", she shouted and with the help of another servant she managed to separate the two. Pulling them both by the ear, she railed at them: "Are you out of your mind?"

"From you I would expect such a behavior", she said looking at Savenna whose lion mane had freed itself, underlining the rage in her eyes. "But you!", she turned to Law who stared at his feet. "What's the matter with you? You're such a good boy! Shouldn't you know better than to pick a fight with this one?"

"That's not fair! He was the one who started it!", Savenna cried out, trying to free herself from Sophia's grip.

"Liar!", the boy protested when Sophia pulled him harder by the ear. "I don't care who started it! We're not under pirates here and that's certainly no behavior I will tolerate in this house, understood?"

None of them said anything, while she thought of the right way to punish them. "The two of you will help me in the kitchen for the rest of the week and no backtalk! Is that clear?", she said giving the girl a severe look. Savenna lowered her eye-brows and hissed: "I will tell the doctor. He won't allow it!"

"Feel free to try!" The servant grumbled. "And now go to your rooms! I don't want to see you again tonight." Then she started picking up the pieces of the broken tableware, while cursing silently.

"Why can't you just do as you are told, for once?", Law asked the girl, his hands still clenched to fists.

"Because I'm not my mother's little baby, that's why!", she snapped back. This time it was Law who lost his patience. "Take that back!", he said as if he hadn't listened to anything Sophia had said. He seized her by the arm and pushed her violently. She caught hold of herself in time, but just as she wanted to hit back, she set out a painful cry.

A sting in her heart made her lose her breath. Suddenly the sting turned into excruciating pain. Her body started to tremble and her feet lost their strength. Law's mushroom-head blurred in front of her eyes as she tried to loosen the knot of her dress, gasping for air.

Lamie hid behind her kitchen door and followed the scene stiff with terror. When Sophia managed to grab her, it was too late. The girl had already sunk on the floor, whining in pain. Law knelt next to her in shock. " I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to...", he babbled repeatedly until he got pushed out of the way by the other servants.

From that day on, Savenna's health began to deteriorate. The girl withered within days, as if the poison had just waited for a moment of weakness to strike. The marks spread over her entire back, her arms and neck. The first spots on her face appeared the day the fever rocketed up dangerously. Despite of its icy color, her skin was burning while Sophia was trying to cool it down, sitting day and night the girl's side. Several days after attack, she had still barely regained consciousness and when she did, she didn't recognize anyone. Her parents came and left without her noticing and Magdalena watched over her, while she tossed and turned in dreadful fever dreams.

When she started to recover from the poison attack, Magdalena barely recognized the girl under the heavy blankets. For the first time she looked as sick as she was. With her strength her beauty had faded. The honey-colored locks turned dry like hay and her skin felt rough where the disease had spread. Her body lost weight for she didn't eat anything and her big eyes fell into shady holes.

Without her knowing, the servants and the doctor danced around her with something between shock and concern, while Trafalgar couldn't explain what was happening to her. Her poisoning was more violent than in any other case he had ever seen. Then for the first time, looking at the haggard girl, he doubted his own power.

But that wasn't the way Law saw things. With a guilt he had never felt before, he hid in the hallway, trying to catch a glimpse of Savenna every time someone entered the room. For even if he had the courage to see her, Sophia wouldn't have let him inside. To him it was all his fault. If he hadn't lost his nerve with her, she wouldn't have suffered the way she did. If he hadn't pushed her, nothing would have happened. That she had been asking for it by being selfish and calling him names, he forgot. He was a kind and patient boy and Sophia couldn't understand how Savenna had managed to infect him with her bad temper.

Not even his sleepy eyes hindered him at watching the patient's door. He saw the parents crying, Sophia sighing when she thought she was alone, but most of all, he saw his father failing. His father was the best doctor he knew and he always found a way. Only this time it was different. He seemed helpless, as he waited outside the room where Savenna soughed, her life depending on his skill.

Law rested his head on his knees, wondering if he should be disappointed. But to his surprise he was just scared. Scared of waiting and scared of having caused a death instead of preventing one. Being a very solitary kid, Savenna was the closest who he had to a friend and he swore that he wouldn't rest until she was pretentious and pretty again.


	4. The Princess of Flevance Harbor

Hey guys! Thank you very much for your reviews! :-D This is my first story here, so I'm really excited! It means a lot! I'll try to keep the chapters coming and again, feel free to tell me when something sounds funny, stupid or both. ^^

* * *

A week later, the incident in the kitchen was long forgotten. Now everyone in the Trafalgar household treated Savenna the way she was used to. Sophia brought her meals, cleaned up her room and helped her dress on the days she was strong enough to get out of bed. Despite her weakness, the girl still watched her with a slight satisfaction. The doctor visited her every morning, giving her new pills and herbs to ease the pain. On some days her marks burned, on others they itched and sometimes she only felt them being there. But the doctor had less and less time he could spend with his patient. More people in Flevance fell sick with Amber Lead poisoning, he had told her in secret. The island authorities hadn't been informed yet but if the number of patients kept growing, there would be a serious problem.

But Savenna didn't care much for that. Since her own condition had gotten worse, Magdalena had decided to move in. So they spent their days chatting and gossiping about everyone in the house and reading Savenna's favorite books. On one of the nights, the governess spoke finally about her brother who had been a pirate shortly after Gold Roger's death. He had traveled over the Grand Line, found treasures and made a name for himself. After the death of her parents, it was with his money that Magdalena had paid the passage to Flevance. He had been a good man, she said. But his fame died with him in the basements of Impel Down. For the first time the girl was actually listening to her. Magdalena thought that the attack had had a calming effect on the girl's temper. Or maybe she was just too weak for being the eternal center of attention. Nevertheless, the governess enjoyed the time with her and prayed every evening for the girl to get better.

When the school holidays began, Savenna noticed for how long she had been sick. Many days had melted into one, sometimes she even forgot what calender date it was. One morning the girl decided not to hide her frustration any longer and watched Magdalena with a sulky expression as they were playing cards.

"I'm sure the other girls in school have all grown up and look prettier than I do, sitting here and dying", she grumbled, laying on the floor and killing Magdalena's hand with an ace of spades. The governess sighed. "Don't be dramatic, Miss. I'm sure it will all be the same when you come back." Savenna rolled on her back, preparing another tirade of heated jealousy, as she heard Magdalena giggling.

"What is it?"

"I think there's someone outside who's too shy to knock."

Savenna frowned and sat up. "Come on in. We won't bite", said the governess and gave a little wave. Then Savenna saw Law appearing in the door. As usually he stared at the floor, only gazing up when he was sure she wasn't looking.

"How nice to see you, Law! Why won't you join us?", Magdalena asked, making the boy flinch awkwardly. "Sure...", he said then, looking at Savenna with an uncertain expression on his face. They hadn't talked since the day in the kitchen, so her sudden presence felt strange to him.

"What are you playing?", he asked.

"Louge Town Joker. Know how to play?", the girl said and gave him a little smile. It was easier than saying sorry for starting the fight last time. Her pride would have never let that happen. Law nodded slightly.

"Good", she said. "But be prepared, I win every time!" That didn't seem to bother him, so the three of them began to play. Magdalena dropped out of the game first by losing all of her cards to Savenna, so Law was the only opponent left. She wanted to beat him so badly she put all her concentration in predicting his every move. But to her surprise the boy was rather good. After ten minutes he had all the cards in his hand and Savenna staring at him with anger.

"Looks like I win..."

"For now", she snapped. But as his eyes wandered up to here, her face had softened. She smiled at him with colorless lips and started distributing the cards again. Three rounds later, Magdalena lost her patience and headed down to the kitchen to prepare a snack. The two children played so fast that hardly anyone under the Trafalgar roof would have been able to follow. As Savenna was finally one point ahead of Law, he said: " They force us play in medical school to make us to think faster, but I've never seen anyone play as well as you do!"

The girl shrugged and grinned, pretending to be surprised by the compliment. "I play with my father's merchant friends when he comes to port. They lose their money to me every time", she said and studied her new hand of cards, while studying him.

"I'm really sorry about what happened. I was so angry, but I've never meant...you know, to hurt you", he said. Savenna froze. His sincerity shocked her. She could do schemes and secrets, but honesty wasn't her domain.

"I will make it up to you", he said then. Suddenly his voice sounded firm. Savenna chose not to say anything, because something in its tone terrified her. The gray of his orbs had turned dark and unreadable. There he was again. The villain with the skeletons and the dead squirrels. "I will make them go away, the spots, before they can hurt you again."

She saw him staring into empty space, gritting his teeth like a dog around a bone. Immediately she realized the difference between him and the doctor. His father treated her out of fear of a disease he couldn't control. Law didn't seem to care for that. That was the first time that it occurred to her that Trafalgar Law could be as determined as she was. Maybe they weren't so different after all. Whatever his reason was to help her, he would do it, or at least he would try. Suddenly she regretted lying to him.

He was the first to lower his gaze. Only then she dared to let the release the air stuck in her lungs. They finished the next game in silence, while Savenna gathered her thoughts. Terrifying or not, she had him were she wanted him, like she did with everyone close to her. Either people adored her, feared her or felt forced to do things for her. Law fell into the last category and maybe one day she would make use of that. Delighted with the thought of having someone terrifying under her charm, she put on her sweetest voice: "Don't worry, I forgive you!"

Instantly, she saw relief on his face. "Anyway, how come you want to be a doctor? Is it because of your father?", she asked.

Law shook his head.

"What is it then?", she asked, tilting her head. .

"I want to go to sea one day", he said pensively.

"You don't have to be a doctor to do that! Just become a pirate", she said and her eyes shined again. But Law shook his head again. "That's not the only reason. People here in Flevance have my father, they won't need my help. I want to help people who don't have anyone left, or no money to give. My father only helps rich people like you. Don't get me wrong but I want to treat everyone, servants like Sophia, pirates and marines. I want to help them win because no one else will."

"Win against whom?"

"Death", he said. She expected to see him smile, for to her it was obviously a joke, but for him it wasn't. He seemed as gloomy as ever, watching her under the rim of his hat. But he didn't scare her any more, because she knew he felt too guilty to harm her. Before her illness, she would have made fun of his noble cause and judge him for his ingenuousness that didn't go along with him being a squirrel murderer, but that day she didn't.

They finished the game in a silent agreement, before he left to let her rest. At this point none of them could have known what nightmares waited ahead of them, catapulting their dreams far away into an uncertain future.

The next time someone slunk around Savenna's door, it wasn't Law.

"No need to hide, I can hear you. If you're not Sophia with that disgusting medication, come on in!", she called from the dressing table with a grin. It was one of her good days, so she decided to get dressed and do something with her hair. Then she heard light steps crossing the threshold. As she turned around she saw Lamie standing in the doorway, looking sheepishly up to her.

"Oh hi, Lamie! How nice to see you. What can I do for you?", Savenna asked, repeating Magdalena's curtsies, even though the little girl bored her more than any one else in the household. The only emotions she seemed to be capable of were fear and excitement. Lamie could be called cute, but she surely wasn't a beauty. Her hair wasn't as dark and as Mary's and Law's and didn't shine like Savenna's. Her round childish face made Savenna remember the plain girls at school whom she liked to make fun of. She was a couple of years younger than Law, sharing with her brother nothing more than the large gray eyes. Savenna was quite surprised to see her inside her room, for she had even less courage than Law when it came to knocking on doors.

"I wanted to see what your room looks like. The servants always say how beautiful it is", Lamie said quietly. Savenna laughed. Despite her illness, her voice sounded like the ringing of a silver bell.

"It truly is! I had most of my things moved here. Aren't the curtains pretty? Magdalena brought them just yesterday."

Lamie contemplated the decor with wide eyes, until they rested on Savenna's dressing table. The little girl eyed the colorful ribbons, the barrettes, brushes and the jewelry she kept in an open box for everybody to admire. "Do you like it?", the older girl asked, seeing the glimmer in Lamie's eyes. She nodded keenly, staring at her feet again.

"Do you want to try some of these on?", Savenna proposed, but the little one shook her head eagerly. "My mother wouldn't want me to. She says I'm too young for these things."

Savenna snorted slightly. "Nonsense!", she said. "There is nothing wrong in a girl wanting to look pretty. Come closer." While the older put on her gloves with care, the other one hesitated. But as Savenna gave her a persuasive look, her resistance cracked. Her little feet climbed up to the chair and she took a seat next to Savenna. First, she bit her lips as the older girl brushed through her hair, then she tried not to cough as she dove into a cloud of powder. But as she saw the diamonds glittering around her neck, she put on a bright smile. Savenna found her a pleasant distraction and treated her like a doll. She painted her face with all her skill, yelled at her when she didn't sit still and told her how pretty she was, when the result was as good as she had hoped for. Somewhere she even felt a slight satisfaction. Even though Mary wasn't there, Savenna knew that Lamie's girlish vanity had triumphed over her modest education.

As she was done, the little girl got up and danced into the middle of the room. Savenna giggled and stood up as well. With the joy, her legs had gathered new power. Lamie was watching her, then she said: " Are you all right, Sava?"

"My name is Savenna, silly. And yes, I'm perfectly fine. Don't worry", she answered with a little laugh.

"I know...", Lami's smile got a little brighter. "But I think Sava is nicer. May I call you Sava?"

"Why's that?", the older girl wondered.

"Because if I call you a shorter name than your real one, it means we are friends!", the girl explained and grinned. Savenna looked at her and sighed. "Okay, you may. But be careful with those jewels, father said they're very fragile."

"When I grow up, I wanna be just like you, Sava! You're the prettiest and the nicest girl I've ever met", Lami said, touching the fabric of her dress.

"Oh, how nice of you", the older one replied, without really listening.

"Now I understand why brother studies so hard to make you well again. He surely does like you, how could he not!"

Immediately Savenna mood skipped. "What did you just say?" She felt her legs stiffen and the original mark over her heart hurt again. Lamie tilted her head, giving her a wondering look. "Didn't you know? Brother barely leaves his room since you fell sick. He tries to invent a medicine that makes those marks disappear", the little one said, pointing at the white spots of Savenna's skin.

The older one swallowed hard. Law had given her a promise, indeed. But that it would have such a large impact on him, Savenna couldn't have guessed. But Lamie couldn't possibly be right. Law despised her, as much as she had despised him. He did it out of guilt, not because he actually cared for her. But nevertheless, a smile crept on Savenna's lips.

"Sava, could I borrow the jewels for tonight?"

"What?" The girl had been so caught up in her thoughts, that she even forgot about her guest.

"For the Harbor Festival tonight! You know, every year..."

"I know what the Harbor Festival is! My family has been among the guests of honor for decades. I just didn't know that it was tonight... It must have slipped my mind." Savenna remembered the sailors dancing with the school girls on the large boardwalk, the fireworks shooting up from the large merchant ships and the music playing all night long. It was the one day of the year where the Flevance merchant fleet celebrated their profit by making the town dance, eat and drink on their costs. She loved that night of the year because she got to stay up as long as she wanted, dancing with her father's crew and listening to their stories, imagining being married to the one or the other. But now she wanted to cry out with frustration. No way her parents, or the doctor would let her go the festival with damn Amber Lead poisoning. But suddenly she had an idea and forgot all about her agreement with the doctor.

"Lami?", she said in her sweetest voice.

"Yes?"

"Of course you can borrow the jewels for tonight. But - "

The girl's eyes widened with expectation. Savenna couldn't prevent herself from ginning. "But you can even keep them, if you do me a tiny favor."

"Anything!", the little one called out. Savenna's grin took a mischievous shade. "Would you tell your brother to come down for a minute?"

"No way I'm doing this! Forget it!", Law snorted and looked at her as if she was crazy. His shy attire was gone, revealing for the first time what he actually thought. He looked tired. The circles around his eyes appeared even darker than usual.

"Please, Law! Only this one time! No one will find out, I promise!", she insisted, staring at the boy with anxious eyes. To give the impression of a good patient, she had loosened her hair, slid under the blankets and covered all of her bare skin, except for the face. Law leaned against the door, his hat pulled low into his face, watching her with disbelief.

"There is absolutely no chance I'm taking you to the festival! You're sick! How come you forget about this so often?"

Savenna sighed, realizing this wouldn't as easy as she had imagined. "Because I hate being sick!", she cried. "It's the most boring thing ever. I don't even remember when I was outside the last time or did anything fun!"

Law rolled his eyes. "Being sick isn't supposed to be fun. As long it's boring, it means you're not in actual danger, idiot!"

" Oh, shut up! I don't care about danger. They're just white spots, what can they possibly do to me on one night out?"

"How about pain or death?", he said, raising his eye-brows. "Have the last weeks magically slipped your mind?"

"Don't be so dramatic, Mushroom-Head!"

"And you should be more careful! I wouldn't even know how to treat you in case of another poisoning attack. And how did you imagine doing this in the first place? Climbing down the rain gutter in your condition?", he wanted to know, but she shook her head laughing. "Of course not! I'm not stupid and also, this would completely ruin my garments!"

Law sighed and rubbed the fatigue out of his eyes. On the other side of the room Savenna sat on her bed with bright grin, waiting for him to give in. He wanted to slap himself the moment he did. "Okay, snob. How do you want to do it? Hypothetically speaking, of course."

"Finally!", she called out. Then her face turned dark, like a villain's presenting his plan to take over the world. "You're something like a doctor, right?" Law nodded, knowing that this wouldn't end well. "So then you have to know how to let people fall asleep, don't you?"

"Again, hypothetically, yes. But I'm not supposed to...", he mumbled. "And why am I even listening to this..."

" Because when everyone goes to the festival tonight, you're going to stay back with me."

"I don't know why I would do that", he grumbled. But as he saw the impatience on her face, he raised his hands protectively. "Continue."

"Because if you stay at home with me, Sophia will be less suspicious, trusting in your psychopathic skill or whatever. But the moment she goes to the kitchen, you mix some medication into her tea so she won't wake up until midnight when everyone else, including us, will be home. So, with her out of the picture, we march directly through the front door."

Instead of sharing her enthusiasm, Law simply shook his head. "That sounds exactly like all the other plans that always go wrong! Adventure books or not, you have no idea what you're doing."

"Excuse me?", she said with a frown.

"Yes", Law sighed as if he was talking to a little child. "Your stupid plan has just too many plot holes!" Savenna cried out with indignation. Law was still his mother's well-behaved little angel. He wouldn't possibly know anything about escape plans and was supposed to be eating out of the palm of her hand right now. Her mood had dropped within a second.

"And what should those be?"

Now it was Law who cleared his throat. "For example the other servants, did you think about them? Or the fact that somebody might see us at the docs?"

"Nonsense!", Savenna snored. "They will all be gone. And once we're down at the harbor, there will be so many people, no one will recognize us anyway. Don't be such a coward, Mushroom-Head!"

"I'm not a coward!"

"Yes, you are!"

Law said nothing, for he knew that if he did, they would be probably tearing each others hair again in no time. He watched her with hesitation, gathering his courage, then said he finally: " I would like to help you, but I can't. Even if your plan made sense, I would never let you walk out of that door as sick as you are. I'm in medical school and releasing a patient before he has sufficiently recovered, is very irresponsible. I'm sorry."

Now it was Savenna who watched him with complete disbelieve. He was in fact the only kid she knew who refused to have fun. He was putting his stupid principles above everything else and that was something she hadn't expected. Despite the anger stirring up in her chest, she had to persuade him. And for that she had one weapon left to use.

As he waited for her reaction, she let herself fall back into the pillows, her eyes filled with tears.

"Oh no, what is it? Why are you crying, Savenna?", he asked immediately with a trembling voice. She made a large sob in return and kept on weeping, her hand pressed over her eyes. She heard him come closer and smiled eventually into her pillow.

"Please, I didn't mean to make you cry...", he stammered. He seemed completely lost, burring his hands in his pockets. Slowly, Savenna sat up and stared at him with reddened eyes. "I want to stop, but I can't", she sobbed. "I'm just so sad. I feel that staying in bed makes me sicker every day and I can't stand it any more!"

She felt him thinking, hesitating. The shadows over his eyes grew darker. She kept on crying until he cracked. "Okay, maybe. If it will make you feel better, medically speaking, we probably can go... but - ", he hadn't even finished the sentence, as Savenna's arms flung around his neck.

" Oh, thank you! I will never forget that!", she called out, hugging him even tighter. Her whitening hair covered his face, so she couldn't see him blushing. She didn't care for him smelling like disinfectant and hospital, while he was overwhelmed by her closeness. He needed a moment to figure out how and if he should hug her back, until he managed it with an awkward smile.

Once Law had disappeared upstairs with a guilty conscious, preparing the sleeping pills for Sophia, Savenna heard Magdalena coming up the stairs. "Finally!", she hissed, opening the door for her governess as silently as possible.

"Where have you been? It's way past six! The Trafalgars are going to leave at any moment."

"I had to wait until your parents were out. Are you sure this is a good idea, Miss?", she asked, giving the girl a sorrowful look. The governess had avoided the topic of the festival on purpose for the last days, hoping Savenna wouldn't forget about it. But obviously, the girl had a gift of finding things out. Now Magdalena was even more concerned about the health of her protege.

"Of course it is! I've not missed one festival in my life and I won't start with this one. And the baby doctor is going to be with me, so it's no big deal. You're not going to tell on me, are you?", Savenna wondered with sudden hesitation.

"No, of course not..."

"Well, have you brought the things I've asked for?", Savenna wanted to know. Magdalena pulled out the package reluctantly and handed it over to the girl. "It's everything I could find." Savenna didn't bother nodding, but ripped it directly out of her governess' hands.

As the clock stroke eight, the doctor, his wife and Lami, outfitted with Savenna's diamonds, left the house to Sophia's care. Law turned out to be a marvelous liar when it came to pretending to be sick. Instead of telling his father he wasn't feeling well, he mounted a whole diagnosis about a microbe attacking his tonsils, or whatever he called it. Finally the doctor was convinced and left for the festival, leaving them to their plan.

The darkness crept already over Flevance roofs, as Law, after crumbling the pills to powder and putting Sophia in a quiet sleep, crossed an anxious Magdalena in the hallway. She shook her head, sweeping sweat off her forehead.

"You better go see her. She is in one of her moods... From now on I can't help you any more." Law replied with an alarmed look and Magdalena's features softened. "Don't worry. I will be at the party keeping an eye on people, so you won't get caught. Just take care of her, boy! I want her back in one piece!"

Law nodded with the same serious expression as always. After the governess had gone down the stairs, the finally dared to open the door to Savenna's room. Inside he found her crying again, sitting at the dressing table, burying her head in her hands. "Sophia's a sleep and everybody is gone", he said quietly. "We can go now if you like..."

"I'm not going anywhere tonight!", she called out without looking at him. He did his best not to yell at her, but he couldn't conceal his anger. "You bet we're going! I haven't done all of this for nothing!"

She gave another sob and turned around. Instantly, Law stiffened, forcing himself not to laugh. "What are you looking at, idiot? Does this look funny to you?", she yelled.

"It actually does! What is that thing in your face?", he asked, chuckling behind his hand.

"That's called make-up", she managed to say between the sobs. "I didn't want people to see the marks, so I decided to paint them. But it didn't turn out very well, I guess...", she admitted, staring at him with a face covered with skin colored pulp, that was instantly floating down her cheeks. Where the disease had attacked her face, the skin must have been too soft to make the paint stick how it should have.

"If you're so sure that nobody will see us, why are you trying to hide them?", he wondered, coming a little bit closer.

"I don't know...", she muttered. "I'm sick of looking ugly. With that paint on my face I could at least have imagined being beautiful again. You probably wouldn't understand."

Law gave her a gloomy look. "You're right. That's stupid. I'm the only one who's going to know you're even there." She frowned back at him. "And besides", he said then. "Even though you don't care about me, I don't think you have changed much. Now, come on. We have to get going if we don't want to miss your fireworks." That was the first time she saw him smiling with both corners of the mouth. It seemed creepy, but it forced her to wash her face and smile back. Maybe there was still a chance for them to be friends, she thought finally.

The bright lights of the chandeliers illuminated the driveway, as the two of them hurried toward the garden gate.

"Watch out, that was my dress!", she hissed at him, as she nearly stumbled.

He sighed, annoyed. "Just keep that thing out of my way!"

"Moron."

"Idiot...", he muttered, following her through empty streets. Before even arriving at the docs, festive music echoed at the beaming, white facades. It seemed that no soul in Flevance was asleep that night, for the city center teemed with laughter and joy. The Marine flag fluttered over every window, behind which the servants were preparing drinks for the guests, expected after the fire works. With a wide smile on her face, Savenna dove into the crowd, pulling Law by the arm. The boy winced at the firecrackers going off, trying not to stare at the people pushing past them. She had been right to presume that he was the most asocial person and the worst option to accompany a girl anywhere, but for now she didn't care.

"Come on! I want to see the ships!", she yelled. He didn't hear her over the music playing and barely fell off his feet, as she dragged him away.

"I'm going to regret this..."

"What?", Savenna yelled again, swinging her locks into his face as she turned around. "Nothing..." He did his best to keep up with her, then he caught sight of the harbor lights. Huge flash lights illuminated the proud ships of the merchant fleet, making them shine as white as Savenna's skin. With a racing heart, the girl passed the large gates, forgetting about everything Law had told her about being careful. Here the crowd spread to several food stands, the merchant's lodge where Savenna's family had their own seats and where the orchestra played until dawn. The market was gone and the rest of the docks had transformed into a chaotic dance floor. In the middle of drunken sailors she finally came to a stop. "Where in time!", she cheered with excitement.

"For getting crushed to death?", Law replied with his usual frown, trying to get out of the way of a dancing couple. Savenna sighed. "No, for the ships, silly. Look, they're leaving already", she said and pointed out to two cruisers which slowly made their way out into the bay.

"Why are they docking off?", Law wondered.

"The fireworks." Savenna smiled. "They always shoot from the bay, so the whole city can see the show." The two kids stood silently for a while, watching the ships move with a lazy pace, while the party around them got heated up.

"Look, there are your parents", Law said, hiding behind a group of girls. Savenna turned around and stiffened. They wouldn't even see her if she stayed there the whole night, she figured. Her father was surrounded by his carpenter, his banker and some of the men she had already seen. Her mother wore a dress she surely must have bought for the occasion. She swayed across the lodge, attracting the other guests like moths with her perfect attire. The picture didn't really shock the girl. In fact, she had seen it so many times that it seemed natural. But this time if was different. She was not among them and no one seemed to miss her. Suddenly she felt more abandoned than ever.

"What is it now?", Law voice made her jerk. As she looked at him, she knew that he knew. She didn't say anything and turned away. Fortunately, neither her sadness, nor her patience lasted long. If she had taken all of his upon her, she would at least have some fun before returning to her prison. Therefore, she grabbed Law's hand and pulled him into the crowd.

"We have already seen the ships. Can't we just go now?", he grumbled, but she was insatiable. "Of course not!", she called out. "Now we dance!"

"What...?" His feet froze to the ground. She just gave him a mocking smile. "You know how to sew people back together, but you don't know how to dance? Don't they teach you anything fun in medical school?"

"Sewing people up is quite fun..." He wanted to object, but she tolerated no backtalk. "Come on, Law. It's very simple. You just listen and move. That's all."

"But I don't..."

"You can also just pretend to have fun, if you want to. But now, shut up!", she commanded. She was used to dance with her father's men. Tall, handsome sailors who adored her and brought her gifts from everywhere around the world. Every year she went home with either a scorpion from Grand Line's desert islands or jewelry from a sunken pirate fleet. But tonight, her doctor's son was the only entertainment she would get.

Suddenly she felt sorry for the way she had treated him. After all, he was the only one who cared enough to make her feel better. He had even dumped his own family to do her a favor. Crazy or not, he tried really hard. Then she stopped dancing and laughed at him.

"What?", he put on his grumpy face again. "I'm dancing or am I not?"

"You're not. That's pitiful. I'll show you", she decided and grabbed his hands. He seemed confused but didn't back away. She thought of the reason why he wanted to be a doctor and giggled. His grip felt too shy for someone who wanted to defeat death one day. But instead of making fun of him, she whirled around and followed his awkward steps. She showed him the figures she knew and brought him to lend her his awkward mushroom-hat. Soon she saw the second smile on his face, as they imitated the foreigners dancing. The songs they knew, they sang along and during the others, Law just shook his head at Savenna's wrong notes.

Without his hat, that now rested on her head, he looked surprisingly normal. The shadows under his eyes had disappeared, making him seem less terrifying. She even forgot about the dead animals, as he gave her a mocking push with his elbow. Then she figured that he wasn't very different from any other boy, maybe even a little more handsome under the harbor lights. But her secret admiration faded as quickly as it came.

"Hey! Isn't that our little princess?" The voice made her freeze. "Long time no see. Has your daddy taken you to a special school for little squealers?" Pablo appeared behind them, his words barely drowning out the music. Them she saw Pablo's friends from school coming out of the crowd. How in Roger's name did they find her, she wondered and lifted her chin. While she observed them with eagle eyes, Law's face remained expressionless. His terrifying side was back as if it had never been gone.

"How about you creep back in where you came out first?", she hissed at Pablo as he came closer. Laughter rose behind the leader of the group who gave her a poisonous look. Savenna crossed the arms in front of her chest.

"And who's this? The freak from school? Oh princess, I'm really disappointed in your choice of friends. You could have done so much better!", he mocked her with a mischievous grin. Savenna didn't realize how her hands clenched to fists. "Leave him alone, you prick!"

"Or what? You're going to tell daddy?"

"More of beating up your sorry ass!"

Pablo seemed as if he wanted to say something in return, but then his eyes narrowed. To Savenna's big annoyance, he came closer, watching her face attentively. "Oh no, what happened to your face, sweetheart?" She could read anger and wonder on his face. "Are you sick or something? But as ugly as you are now, that doesn't even matter, does it? I bet that's why they're not letting you out on the street any more."

She wanted to yell at him, but her lips were sealed. She wasn't able to move a limb while tears started rising in her eyes.

"Don't talk to her like that!" She whirled around, as she heard Law raising his voice. The shadows had crept back on his face, while his cold eyes stared at the other boy.

"I do whatever I want and there's nothing you can do about it!"

"That's enough! We don't have to listen to this", Savenna snarled. "Come on, Law. Let's get out of here!" The she took him by the hand and dove back into the crowd. Her hands were shaking, while she searched a way through the chaos of the festival. Law followed her until he stopped suddenly.

"What is it?"

"Nothing... I thought, somebody was calling my name. But maybe I'm wrong. There are so many people. It's impossible that we get recognized twice." Savenna shrugged and they continued their path, until they had reached the narrow streets in the empty part of the city. Their steps echoed at the walls as they walked silently side by side.

"I'm sorry for what he said earlier. Don't think about it, he's just a jerk", Law said, kicking an empty beer can over the pavement. Savenna had clung her arms around her upper body and advanced with little steps.

"Yes, he is. He hates me."

"Why? I don't want to be rude, but don't other people also... _dislike_ you in school?"

She gave him an angry look, but the excitement disappeared quickly. "Maybe. I was never go with making friends. Children are scared by lots of things and give in to kids like Pablo. But I'm not. And that's what drives him crazy."

"I see..." Even though he stayed silent, she figured that he could relate.

"But that's not all", she sighed. "He hates me too, for being my father's daughter."

"Why? That's, even biologically speaking, not your fault..." She couldn't help but chuckle, before turning serious again. "Because his father worked for mine a long time ago. It didn't work out that well and Pablo's father lost his job. So since the day we entered school, he picks on me because of this."

"That's not fair", Law reasoned. After a while, he smiled again and said: "But at least, you could go to the festival tonight. I hope you feel better." She forced herself to smile, too. Hesitantly she looked at Law but kept imagining the doctor's face if it came out that she had been gone and that someone had seen her with Amber Lead poisoning. A little voice in her head told her to confess, to tell Law everything. That she had lied to him, that he was in danger, for her disease would eventually be a threat to the whole city. But again, she had no time.

A scream killed the silence between the buildings. Both of them twisted around.

"Law!", a little girl's voice reached Savenna's ears. "Lamie?", the boy's face flushed with panic. That's when she saw the other shadows appear. Pablo and his friends from the festival stepped out of the corners, while he was holding the little girl by the hair. Her diamonds sparkled in his hands, while Lamie was fighting to get to her brother.

"They've followed us...", Savenna whispered. Law didn't answer. His face had turned blank as he marched toward the group.

"Let her go, immediately", he said with a surprisingly quiet voice. Savenna observed them with an uneasy feeling in her stomach. Pablo smirked. "Sure!" Then he let the little girl fall to the floor. "She was searching for you two morons, but you were too late. So I thought we would do her a favor and bring her to her brother, personally", he said, then his eyes wandered over to Savenna.

"What the hell are you doing here, Lamie? Why aren't you with mother and father?" Law's voice sounded cold with anger and concern as he helped up his little sister. But Lamie just kept on sobbing, clinging to his arm. "I saw you dancing and then I thought...",

Law sighed. That was where their plan had backfired. "Don't such a stupid thing ever again, do you hear me?" But before he could properly scold her, he saw Pablo heading in Savenna's direction. She felt her fear rising, but she didn't let it see.

"Don't you even touch her!", Law growled, but the other boy didn't seem to care. Savenna heard his heavy steps before he stopped in front of her. With a uncertain look she observed the others. There must have been at least six of them and no way they would let her go, if she managed, in whatever way, to get rid of Pablo.

"Where is your daddy now, little princess?", Pablo snickered.

"What is it you want?", she asked with a sharp voice. The boy tilted his head and pretended to wonder. "What could that be? Ah I know! Revenge for every time you've let me look like a fool. Me and my family."

"I have nothing to do with that! And if you had left me alone, I wouldn't have done anything to you!"

"Do I look like I'd care?", he yelled and slapped her across the face. "It's too late for that now." Savenna cried out with indignation and hit back even harder. She scratched him like a furious cat. Unfortunately that wasn't all Pablo had to give. He was taller and stronger than her and his next punch knocked her to the ground. But before he could kick her in the stomach, two hands clenched around his throat and pulled him back. Pablo choked and hardly managed to shake Law off him.

"Feeling like a man today, freak? Too bad for you!", Pablo laughed before one of his friends punched Law in the face. Blood poured out of his nose and spread over his face.

"No!", Savenna cried out, as two of them started kicking him on the ground. "Leave him alone!" Behind them Lami cried out, as a boy pulled her by the hair and tore her dress.

"What is it, princess? Where are your teachers now? Seems like your boyfriend won't see them for a long time." The only sound of Pablo's voice made her blood boil. She felt her hands shaking, as Law pretended not to scream. Like a predator she jumped on one of the boy's back and bit him in the neck. She felt the taste of blood in her mouth as she bit him another time, before she landed flat on her back and got kicked next to Law. She cried out in pain, trying desperately to defend herself, but it was useless. They were too strong.

That was when she felt the rage taking over her body. She lost control over her arms and legs, creeping back on her feet like a wounded lion. The pain of the poisoning disappeared as her blood pumped pure wrath through her veins. Seeing the others like blurry ghosts in the distance, she let out a angry snarl. "I _said_ leave them alone!" Her words seemed to stir up even more rage that had waited too long to be set free. She felt pain, hurt, jealousy and injustice at the same time, she only wished for her enemies to die.

With a passionate cry, she headed toward Pablo and punched him in the stomach with all her force. But to her surprise, all expression had already left his features. Instead of hitting back, he fell to ground with nothing more than a sigh.

Savenna's eyes widened. But as she turned around, she saw it. One after the other, they lost consciousness and fell on the ground without a fight. In the meantime Law had gotten back on his feet and stared at her with shock. What had she just done? But before she could understand what happened, everything went black and Savenna's lifeless body hit the pavement.


	5. Downhill

Hey guys! Thanks a lot for the awsome reviews! :-) It means a lot to know that there are people reading this story! Here is a new chapter, I hope you'll like it :-)

* * *

With trembling knees Lamie tried to make sense of what had just happened. While Pablo and his friends had gone out like powerless flash lights, she had felt a slight dizziness.

"Law...are you okay?", she muttered and came closer.

A couple of steps away, she saw Law bending over Savenna. Blood was smeared over his cheek and ran down his neck. Lamie's eyes widened as she caught sight of the girl. First she thought she was asleep. But as she came closer, she pressed her palms over her mouth in shock. Savenna's body seemed like an empty shell lying in the middle of the road. The hair that had started whitening a week ago, had now completely bleached out and the skin appearing through the torn clothes shone like cold silver.

"Is...is she dead?", Lamie asked with her voice cracking. Law stayed silent and didn't turn around even as she approached him. "She's breathing", he said with a hollow voice.

"What happened?"

"I don't know... "

As Lamie could finally catch a glimpse of her brother's face she found it almost as pale as Savenna's. After making sure that Savenna was alive, he got up trying to ignore his own pain.

"Wait here", he said. "And look after her. Make sure her breathing is steady and if it's not, call me."

"What? You're not leaving, are you?", the little girl called out but her brother shook his head. "No, but I don't know how long they will stay out. I have to make sure, they won't harm us again once they wake up", he said pointing at the unconscious bodies. Then he picked up his hat and put it back where it belonged. "Now do what I say and don't turn around until I'm back."

Lamie froze and did as she was told. She was Dr. Trafalgar's daughter and knew an order when she heard one. The usual softness had left her brother's voice and if she hadn't known better, she would have thought it was her father speaking.

Her large eyes turned to Savenna. She struggled to concentrate on the girl's chest going up and down in an almost invisible motion. But while she observed the white body fighting, Lamie couldn't help wondering how she had managed to make the attackers fall asleep without even touching them. She had heard lots of stories since Savenna's governess had moved in but none of them explained what had happened only several minutes ago.

She was more than relieved when she heard Law's footsteps returning. She tried to imagine what a boy like him could have done to Pablo and the others, but she didn't ask. Emotion had left his face as he finally knelt beside her. With alert eyes he examined Savenna.

"She's feverish. We have to bring her back as quickly as possible", he decided and Lamie felt him stiffen. Then he lifted his arm and reached out for Savenna's forehead.

"No! Wait!", Lami shrieked. With visible annoyance, Law turned around. "What?"

"She's sick! The white skin, it's contagious!" But to her bewilderment, her brother simply shrugged. "I'll have to find a cure for both of us, then. I promised her anyway."

"Wait! You...Father will be furious! Stop...", she yelled, but it was too late. His hand had already brushed away the hair and touched her skin. Law couldn't hide his shock as he felt her temperature. This wasn't good. Maybe Savenna was suffering form a unknown disease, but if he didn't do something right now, she would die from a simple fever.

Without giving it a second thought, he grabbed her and tried to lift her up. But like most of the time, he forgot that he was only ten and nothing more than a wispy, little boy. The weight of the girl's body dragged him down and made his own injuries hurt even more. But before Savenna could hit the ground again, he got hold of her and hoisted her over his healthy shoulder like a bag of heavy medical supplies. Once he was sure he wouldn't lose her, he started walking. Lamie had fallen into silence, following him through the empty streets of the city where the distant sound of music had faded.

At the Trafalgar estate, the doorbell rang repeatedly. Magdalena snorted loudly and furious with impatience she hurried to the door. "Finally! Where have you – Oh, my God!"

Once she had unlocked the door, Law and Savenna dropped to her feet in the hallway, the one unconscious, the other exhausted. Lamie started crying and flung her arms immediately round the startled governess.

"Miss Savenna! What...?", she wanted to ask, but the word got stuck in her throat.

"It was an accident!", Lamie cried out and buried her eyes in Magdalena's skirt.

"Accident?", she called out with bewilderment. Then her eyes darkened and she turned toward Law. "This is all your fault! You should have taken care of her. When we're through with this, you'll regret ever crossing my path, boy!"

"This is not his fault! It was the others!", Lamie protested but Law got back on his feet and pushed his sister aside. He didn't care much for being blamed and didn't even start defending himself. "I'll explain everything later. But now Savenna needs help. She collapsed and her fever keeps getting worse."

"But the doctor isn't here! Sophie is still out and there's no one else home!", Magdalena called out, her voice growing desperate. "I should have known better than to give in to this stupid plan!"

"There's no time. We have to do it without him", Law said with determination. The governess needed some time to gather her wits. Then she shook her head in defeat. "What are you suggesting?"

Law didn't have to ponder for long. "The temperature is too high and with sickness weakening her body, we don't have much time. Before the medication kicks in, it might be already too late."

"So what can we do?" Magdalena let go of Lamie and stared at him with panic.

"There's one thing. Lamie, run upstairs and fill the bathtub with cold water", he said. "What should I do?", the governess wanted to know.

"Hurry down to the cellar, fill two buckets with ice from the freezer and meet me upstairs." Magdalena didn't lose a minute. She shooed the young girl upstairs and disappeared into cellar immediately. Law took a deep breath, before he picked up Savenna and headed for the stairs.

"You'll feel better soon", he pressed through his teeth as if Savenna were listening, while counting the steps to the second floor. She seemed to gain weight with every minute and Law just hoped he could make it down the hall. Lamie held the door open for him and hid behind the sink as he entered the room. She watched him dragging Savenna toward the filling bathtub and saw her white hair getting soaked with water. Magdalena's hasty steps followed him, while she carried the two buckets full of ice. Wordless he took one of them and emptied it in the tub.

"Won't she be really cold...?", the governess whispered, rubbing her own hands to keep them warm. Law didn't move. "That's the point. We have to get her body temperature down as fast as possible. If not, her heart might stop", he said, his voice surprisingly sober. Lamie kept on sobbing in the corner, as he walked over to the drawer and pulled out a small towel. Then, after dipping it into the water and putting it on the girl's forehead, he turned to his sister.

"Lamie, go to father's office. The key is in the bottom drawer in the kitchen. Open the second locker on the left and bring me one of the green, bellied bottles. And fetch me a shot, needles, bandages and a stethoscope."

The little girl quit sobbing for an instant and stiffened. As she didn't moved, Law gave her one of his looks that regularly made the girls in school run away and hide. So Lamie got herself together and disappeared. "Once I'm sure that the fever is gone, I'll have to do some stitches", Law said finally when she was gone.

Magdalena observed the boy with a suspicious glance. She didn't know if she was to be afraid or reassured by his cool temper. It had been several weeks since she had worked with the Trafalgar family and the boy had always seemed like one of the good kind. Shy, careful and always polite. But now she realized that there was more to Law than meets the eye. She had never seen someone so young being as rational and calm when things got serious. The governess pressed her lips together and watched the boy feeling Savenna's forehead quietly.

"What about you? How are you feeling?", she got herself to ask. Law shrugged, mentioning neither the scratches nor the bruises. Magdalena chose not to ask about what had happened. That could wait until the next day. When Lami came back with a bag filled with the ordered medial supplies, she decided to bring the poor girl to bed. She didn't seem to need any of Law's procedures and the governess herself wouldn't be a help to him anyway. Putting her trust in the little doctor, she took Lamie by the hand and left the room.

To Law it seemed like an eternity until Savenna's fever started to drop. With the fatigue creeping over his eyes, he kept sweeping her forehead until his finger got numb from the cold water. He tried to think of something else but his thoughts were trapped in a vicious circle. If she made it through the night, would she wake up in the morning? Would she remember what had happened back on that street? Was it somehow connected to her illness and would eventually harm her, like it had done with Pablo? But that didn't help. To distract himself, he recited the textbook treatment for Savenna's case over and over again.

Once her temperature had dropped to a less dangerous level, he had to check her heart. Unfortunately, his arms weren't long enough to reach her chest with the stethoscope Lamie had brought him. With his common sense almost gone, he let himself drop into the freezing bathtub and listened to her heart beating slowly, but regularly. His fingers were trembling, as he reached out for the shot, filled it with a green colored liquid and injected it carefully in Savenna's shoulder.

Relieved that she probably wouldn't die in the next twelve hours, he called for Magdalena.

The governess helped him carry the girl to bed, undressed her and watched as Law cleaned her wounds and did a large number of stitches under the yellow light of the bedside lamp. His clothes were still soaked, as he finished treating the last impact of Pablo's boots. It had taken him two hours to make sure Savenna would be fine, with Magdalena's frightened eyes resting upon him. Lamie was already fast asleep, when the governess tucked the older girl in.

"Law?", the governess turned softly toward the boy who was still staring at his patient. As he turned around, she began to see through the facade of composure. His eyes were red, his skin pale and his blueish lips pressed together. Magdalena gave him a weary smile. "You can go now. I'll watch her, don't worry."

The boy nodded and headed for the door. When he had been gone for a while, Magdalena changed her mind. After making sure, Savenna's condition hadn't changed, she got up and followed the direction Law had disappeared in. Soon she saw a dim light up the stairs. The door on the third floor had been left ajar, as Magdalena put her hand on the doorknob. She prepared herself to knock, but froze. Through the gap between the wall and the door she saw the boy in front of the mirror, trying to put patches upon his own bruised, naked shoulders.

"Heavens!", she called out and let herself in. If Law was surprised, he didn't let it show. He simply turned his head toward the governess and ripped of another stripe of bandage. But Magdalena was not to be ignored. "Why didn't you tell anybody you were injured so badly?", she asked in a painful voice. Law shrugged once again. "I'm not the patient. The patients always go first..." That was when she heard his voice break. Tears filled his large eyes and he started to sob. Within no time, she was at his side, trying to hold him without hurting him.

"No...Don't touch me! You're going to fall sick too!", he shrieked, but the woman ignored him. She couldn't care less for other medical troubles that night. Law watched her with bewilderment and then he gave in. His thin arms were badly scratched but he still managed to throw them around Magdalena and press himself against the fabric of her dress.

"I was so scared...", he whispered through the silent sobs. "I'm so sorry! I should have done better. My father would have done better. I've never done this before. I'm so sorry!..." His entire body shivered as if it were he who had the fever. Magdalena couldn't help but sigh. With nerves of steel or not, he was still just a kid. A waive of compassion for him overcame her and she stroke his head softly. "You did great, darling. Your father would be very proud of you, and me -", she gave him a warm smile. "I would trust you with my life, any time."

The longer she held him, the clearer everything seemed. She knew from experience what impact Savenna had on people, and that being the reason why she didn't have many friends. But after that night, Magdalena was sure that she should have a least one. Truth be told, her and Law weren't as different as she had thought. Reckless and foolish, but with a strong and tender heart that took some time to reveal itself. The governess took care of some of Law's injuries and left the needle for when the doctor would be back. She put some bandages on and by the time she was done, Law had already passed out. With a little smile on her face, Magdalena tucked him in, pressed a gentle kiss on his forehead and turned out the lights.

The sun was already high up when Savenna opened her eyes. The sunlight, tempered by half-closed blinds, danced in bright dots on her face. That was when she realized what buzzing feeling in her limbs was. Her body hurt, literally everywhere. She pressed a painful groaning through her teeth. Then she dared to gave it a look and regretted it even more. The completely white skin over her fine fingers shone coldly in the sunlight. Holding her breath, she inspected the rest of her body. With something between shock and amazement, she saw the various bruises and stitches covering her rib-cage. _That is where they hit me,_ she recalled, trying to remember what had happened after the attack.

"Law said one rib might be broken but that he needed an x-ray before telling for sure", a mild but tired voice said next to Savenna's bed. The girl turned around and saw Magdalena smiling at her, holding her knitting in her hands. Savenna couldn't hide her relief and smiled back as the governess got up and approached her bed. But as she bend down to her, the girl's smile disappeared. Magdalena slapped her on both of her cheeks.

"Ai!", Savenna cried out. "What was that for?!"

Magdalena's soft expression hadn't faded a bit. "For being a careless and selfish brat. But I think you could have guessed that. If your pain would have to match how much I have worried about you, two slaps in the face wouldn't have covered it."

First Savenna rubbed her cheek and stared at her full with indignation. Then she sighed. "I probably deserved it."

Magdalena nodded. "But anyway, I'm glad you're better now. How are you feeling?" Instead of sharing her governess' mood swing, the girl looked at her with a sorrowful expression and shrugged. "How bad was it?", she wanted to know.

"Quite bad. Apparently you passed out, got a fever and the poor boy nearly wrecked himself trying to help you", Magdalena said before getting back to her knitting.

"Law...", Savenna muttered. "He's the one who did this?" With slight panic in her eyes she pointed at the stitches covering her arms and her stomach. The governess nodded and told her what else had happened the night before. After fighting the heath in her cheeks, she swore that she would never make fun of school books and dead animals ever again. Not that she would ever tell him, but she had underestimated the boy with the mushroom-head. He in fact was a good enough doctor to fix her up and a good enough friend to carry her on his back through the city at night. She smiled to herself. But that quickly disappeared as she thought of her being so poorly, even barley dressed in the presence of someone other than Magdalena or herself. In the moment when it was her turn to forget her true age, she pulled the night-gown tighter around her waist and tried to hide the pain it caused.

"What about the Trafalgars?", she wanted to know next.

"What about them, Miss?"

"You know what. Do they know what happened?", Savenna asked with impatience. Magdalena gave her an incredulous look in return. "That man is a doctor. How is he supposed to look past _that_? Your body turned entirely white over night and the scars appeared on their own? I suppose not."

"He was here?"

Magdalena sighed and put the knitting down this time. "Of course he was, first thing when he got home. After looking for his lost daughter and spending the night at the police station, that is. I was surprised the man was still on his feet when he learned what happened to the three of you."

Savenna froze under her blanket and gave the woman a questioning look. Magdalena tilted her head and sighed again. "Law told him everything. I don't know if you remember but compared to Lamie who has been quite lucky, you and Law have been beaten up pretty badly. There wasn't a way he wouldn't have found out. First the doctor got furious and hit him as hard as you would have deserved, but then he hugged him and congratulated him on his first living patient."

Savenna couldn't help but shiver. The way Magdalena had put it, she might have died and it was thanks to Law that she hadn't. And it was because of her that he had been dragged into all that trouble in the first place. After the looking at the web of stitches covering her skin, she told herself that this wouldn't happen again. Even though the decision seemed clear to her, there wasn't much thought behind it, just blank fear of a little girl. It was the first time Savenna felt death being more than just a legend. Suddenly, he was as real as the people passing by, able to come knocking on her door when he seemed fit. Out of dread that had crept into her heart, she swore to herself, she wouldn't die. Not today, not the day after, not ever. If Law could cheat death, she would do the same.

"Are you all right, Miss?", the sudden concern in Magdalena's voice woke her out of a delusional state of mind.

"Yes, I'm fine..."

The governess' features relaxed. "Good. Then it's time _you_ told me what happened." With her vision slightly spinning, the terrified girl gave her a questioning look. "The festival, Miss. What happened on the way home?"

"Right..." It took Savenna some time to gather her wits, but then she made herself tell Magdalena the story. She didn't feel much shame when she told the woman about how Lamie had followed them, of their unfortunate encounter with Pablo and how she and Law had ended up on her porch like two prisoners escaping Impel Down. The only part she left out, was the one she couldn't make sense of. She had seen the attackers fading before her eyes before passing out. Even though she was sure it hadn't been a dream, she had no explanation for what it could have been instead.

Magdalena had listened attentively and once Savenna was done, she did something she had never done before. Magdalena cursed out loud. After the girl's eyes had widened with surprise, her lips curled into a smirk. The woman went on about how she was going to make them pay and when Savenna was listening hard enough, she could her a little sailor's accent invading her otherwise perfect speech. Finally she assured her that she would take care of it herself, once she was well again. It took Magdalena a couple of minutes to calm down in which she tried to continue her knitting but failed.

"How did you get out of it, anyway? You helped me to sneak out of the house, shouldn't you be in trouble?", Savenna wanted to know, sitting up in bed. But the woman simply shrugged. "I lied."

"What?"

"Don't be so upset, Miss. It's not like you've never done it before. And if I would get fired, who would be able to endure your awful temper under this roof?", Magdalena said and gave her a secretive smile. Savenna returned it silently. "And besides, I grew quite fond of little Law, too. It would be a shame if I couldn't watch you torment that poor boy a little longer."

Both of them sat in silence for some time. Then Magdalena treated some of the girl's wounds and checked her blood pressure, just like the doctor had instructed her. When the governess brushed her hair, telling her more about the chaos they had caused in house Trafalgar, she felt safe again. Despite her new vocabulary, nothing had changed in Magdalena. She still smelled like the lavender soap she used to wash her clothes with and her fingers were still rough from the years of housework she had done for her family. Sinking into the comfort the governess gave her, she realized she had forgotten what her own mother's fingers felt like. Even though that idea seemed weird to her, she refused letting it destroy the old confidence coming back to her.

"Magda?"

"Yes, Miss?"

"Was that true what you said about Law and the broken rib?", Savenna asked with slight hesitation. But the woman just laughed. "No, forgive me, Miss. I had a rough night and thought you'd deserved it."

"Good", the girl said with determination in her voice. "I'm getting dressed. I have to talk to Law."

"I'm no doctor, but shouldn't you be resting? Even though the fever disappeared over night, that doesn't mean you're fine. After what happened your body must still be weak", Magdalena stated with visible concern. But Savenna shook her head. "I'm feeling completely fine. The stitches itch sometimes and the bruises hurt like hell, but I think I'll be safe for now."

Before Savenna had left the room, she had watched herself in the mirror carefully. Standing in underclothes, she followed ever scar and ever needle stitch Law had made. While putting off with the thought that they would stay with her even once she was all grown up, there was something else that couldn't have escaped her observation. Her entire body had turned white. Not a beautiful, shiny white but a dull, pale white that made her look like a snowman having the flu. It had covered her up from the tip of her fingers down to her toes. Her hair looked like a limpid mane cloaking a ghost. Then she saw the eyes and almost backed away from the mirror. The dark color had disappeared, devoured by the Amber Lead, leaving her with a pair of cloudy dots that marked the place where her orbs had been.

Savenna fought the tears pressing forward and slipped in the dress Magdalena had chosen for her. Then she lifted her chin up, swallowed some pain killers, put on a smile and left her room. With the conviction that it took more than a few white dots to break her spirit, she went down the hallway. As she came closer to the stairs, she heard a line of heavy cursing. Amazed that she had the chance to hear her own language in this house not even once but twice a day, she stopped and glanced around the corner. Sophia was leaning over the balustrade, trying to reach the spider webs under the ceiling. But as she failed another time, she let the broom fall on the floor and rubbed her head while groaning silently.

The girl giggled. She could easily make the difference between a headache and a hangover. Even after giving it a thought, she couldn't imagine what Law had put in the maid's tea the night before, for she had apparently slept throughout the whole mess.

"Savenna. I can hear you. Don't bother hiding", Sophia's cranky voice was suddenly closer than she had thought. The maid had caught her by the shoulder and dragged her out of the hallway. So close, her face seemed even worse than her voice.

The warm feeling of malicious joy filled Savenna's heart as she realized how badly Sophia looked. Her narrow eyes were swollen, as was her face and her hands. But the maid didn't give her enough time to appreciate her bad condition. "The doctor has called for you. He'll leave soon for the hospital, so you better hurry." Savenna nodded and got away as quickly as she could. She could feel Sophia watching her, until she was finally down the stairs. There she pretended taking the hall that lead to Trafalgar's office, but turned around as soon as she had left Sophia's field of vision. She would deal with the doctor afterwards.

A noisy clock hung in the hallway and she gave it a quick look. It was way past noon. Law must have been up for hours. He couldn't have left for school that day so she hoped to find him downstairs. As cautiously as her feet permitted, she sneaked through the kitchen into the living room, disappointed not to find him there. She sighed with annoyance. The painkillers begun to show some effect, therefore her had the necessary force to express her irritation. She strolled through the house until she discovered the door to the library slightly ajar. Carefully she stuck her head into the room, immediately laying eyes on the mushroom, hidden among serious looking books.

With a strange feeling in her stomach, she knocked on the door louder than necessary. The boy turned around, but as soon as he caught a glimpse of her, his face darkened. Immediately his head was buried in the pages again.

Savenna was startled for a moment, then she scowled and closed the door behind her.

"Good morning", she tried again, not sure what was going on. Again Law pretended to be the only person in the room.

"What is it?" This time the softness had disappeared out of her voice and she was staring at him with angry bewilderment. "Why are you ignoring me?"

"Forget it. I'm not talking to you!", he snapped, slamming his book shut and reaching for another one. The girl snorted loudly. Although she had treated him the same shortly after they had met, she didn't make the connection. She wasn't used to being ignored and she wasn't going to.

"I feel really bad about what happened last night. You got into trouble because of me and I wanted to apologize", she said, swallowing down her pride. But Law didn't seem to care.

"I'm sorry this small gesture upsets you so much!"

He didn't say anything in return. But as Savenna held her stance, his eyes appeared slowly from under the rim of his hat staring at her with an icy gaze. "Don't bother", he said coldly. Even though that look had made her shiver before, she didn't let it show.

"Shut up, Law! I'm not your baby sister, it takes more to scare me than your angry mushroom-gawk!", she scoffed and crossed the arms in front of her chest. "Just spit it out!" Savenna guessed that she might have overstepped, when she saw his face redden with rage. Something must be truly upset him, but this wasn't enough to make her give in. Then Law snapped. With the intimidating force of a ten year old, he slammed the other book on the table and gritted his teeth. "You're the worst person I've ever met, you know that?"

None of the many insults she had prepared for such occasions had the time to be spoken. Once he had gathered the courage to speak, he went on and on: "You may be the fearless Miss-I-rule-the-world who isn't afraid of anything, but you know what scares _me_? Seeing people I care for suffer and die! I've put up with all the crap you've pulled until now, but this is just mean!"

"What the hell are out talking about?"

"Don't pretend to be stupid, because you're not! You do everything to manipulate and hurt people who care about you. I didn't bother about that first, because I didn't have any other friends and I thought that somehow everyone must be a nice person somehow. I studied hard to find out what's wrong with you, I defended you when somebody talked badly about you, I even got beaten up for you and all that is you do is lie to me!"

"Lie? About what?" But just after asking the question, the answer popped up in her head.

"You know what! I thought all this time that this illness of yours was highly contagious. But it took me two bandaged arms and a head injury to find out that wasn't even true! After I told my father what happened yesterday, he filled me in. I know everything about Amber Lead poisoning. I know that you should have died yesterday. Was it about the festival? Did you lie to me because you wanted me to believe you were fine so you could get what you wanted? Or was it because you thought I was too stupid to understand? Either way, I hate you and I don't want do see you ever again!"

Savenna was surprised how much it hurt. Law's words banned the stinging pain of her injuries somewhere she couldn't feel it any longer. After what had happened, she had completely forgotten about the lies she had told him and the agreement with the doctor. But watching Law staring at her with hateful eyes, hit her more than she had expected. She didn't realize that she was biting her lip until she tasted blood.

"I'm sorry...", she murmured, feeling suddenly dizzy. "I didn't think you'd taken it that seriously."

"I'm a doctor, you idiot!"

"And...", this time it was her searching for the right words. "You treated me even though you knew you would get sick too?" Law's jaw almost fell on the floor. "Of course I did! I promised you. And promises actually mean something to me."

"In that case, you're a moron, Mushroom-Head", she said hardly louder than a whisper, because she didn't know anything else to say.

"I'm just someone who cares for my friends, not like you", he pressed through his teeth. "And quit calling me that!"

It began to dawn on her that Law would probable never trust her again. It had been a long time since she had seen someone as upset as he was. That was when she realized that she didn't mind hurting Magdalena or her parents because it was their duty to love her. But it wasn't Law's and if she didn't make it right, he wouldn't even think about it again. Suddenly she felt tears creeping into her eyes again. Mad about herself she cursed. She had never been the kid to cry in the middle of an argument, at least not with a boy wearing some sort of vegetation on his head.

"I do care a lot!", she called out then, trying to temper her anger. "It might not appear like that to you, but I do! I care about Magdalena and Lamie. And even though you're being a jackass right now, I also care about you. That's why I lied about the Amber Lead in the first place... And as far as I know you still don't have any other friends!"

It took a while for Law's gloomy expression to lighten up. "What to mean?"

"Your father", she began although her voice wasn't as steady as she had hoped. " He didn't want you to know. The only knowledge of this disease is a heavy burden to carry and he wanted to protect you. It was he who asked me to keep it from you. It was part of an agreement we made the night I moved it. But you just wouldn't stop pushing!"

Law wanted to say something but this time it was her cutting him of. "Your overly smart mushroom brain didn't want to let it go, so I told you that lie. I thought that it might scare you off and leave me alone so I wouldn't have to break my promise to the doctor. I keep mine too, you know. And I am so mad I would love to beat some of those brain cells out of you, but unfortunately it might kill me."

Law didn't say anything. He just stared at the floor, while the color of his face went back to normal. Savenna watched him carefully, waiting for a reaction. Even though her apology was sincere, blaming everything on somebody else was always more effective. And she didn't feel any remorse by exposing the doctor, for he had been the first to break his word. To her relief, Law lifted his eyes and gave her something that looked like an awkward smile.

But before they could say another word, the doorbell rang aggressively. Both of them frowned and opened the door just to see Sophia hurrying down the stairs, still massaging her aching head. "Yes, yes, I'm coming. Calm down, already..."

But as soon as she turned the doorknob, a pack of furious sounding voices filled the hall.

"Where is Dr. Trafalgar? We need to speak to him, right now!", an heated looking man called out. The expression on his face showed a weird combination of anger and fear, while he tried to cover up the first one.

"Of course. Just a minute. May I ask on what matter?", Sophie responded with surprising caution. "Oh you can tell him! It's about the horrible son of his!" Law and Savenna twitched at the same time, looking at each other with wide eyes. As they saw the maid coming their way, they hurried under the stairs and hid. "What's this about? What did you do?", the girl wanted to know, peering toward the door.

Law swallowed hard. "I might have done something...bad."

"Bad? You?", Savenna asked and giggled instantly. "I'm sorry. This is just too exciting!" It took Sophia some time to get hold of the doctor who, even from under the stairs, looked exhausted. His white coat hung sadly over the broad shoulders, while he walked toward the door like a much older man. Suddenly Savenna felt bad for him.

"Yes? How can I help you?", he asked politely. But the answers he got weren't as friendly.

"You can undo the damage your son has caused!", a woman yelled. The doctor looked puzzled, then a frown appeared on his face. "What are you talking about? Law would never to anyone any harm."

The woman produced a sarcastic laughter. "Then you should better see for yourself! I would have shown you my son right away but unfortunately none of our children can leave the car."

The doctor still didn't seem to understand, while all the other parents gathered behind the first couple, nodded angrily. "What the hell is going on here?", Trafalgar demanded now more urgently. "Your son attacked our children last night during the festival!", shrieked a woman he had never seen before, and started crying on the spot. "And not only did he beat them up, he did something way more horrible!"

" I never knew a child could do such a thing...", wept another parent.

"I don't know how he managed it, but I suppose you do. To me it looks like if he'd taken needle and thread and...", the woman hesitated.

"And he what?!", this time it was the doctor who was yelling.

"He sewed them together at the hands! And my poor boy Pablo in the middle!"

Savenna wasn't able to see the expression on the doctor's face and even with a major use of imagination, it would have been hard to catch. The moment the man in the front had spoken, a waive of shock and confusion spread through the group. The girl herself had gasped for air but nothing more. Then she turned to Law with bewildered eyes. His face had turned pale, while he tried not to shake. All the anger from before had vanished and now his eyes looked at her with terror.

"What do I do now?", he whispered helplessly. There was no time for explanations.

"Take a breath and run?", she suggested and grabbed him by the hand. Ducked, they made their way to the kitchen avoiding the hall. The servants had gathered at the door to listen what was going on but the kids pushed them aside, muttering sincere apologies. Savenna's stitches hurt and she felt how the adventure of last night had made her weaker. But nevertheless, she followed Law through the lowest kitchen window, leading in the gardens.

"What way now?", she wanted to know, breathing hard. Law hesitated for a moment, then pointed at the fence that separated the park from the nearby forest. Savenna didn't object and they stumbled over bed of medical herbs and vegetables, heading for the forest. After climbing over the fence, they ran through the woods and up the hill until Savenna's head started spinning. Law was observing their house from the higher level while she was laying flat on her back, inhaling deeply. They sat in silence for a while. Then she got up and asked with twinkling eyes: "Is that true? Did you really do what they said?"

Law shrugged. "You were unconscious and I didn't know what happened. We needed to get out of there and I couldn't risk them waking up too soon. So I took some precautions."

She took some time to imagine the look on Pablo's face when he realized he would be holding hands with someone for a very long time. She couldn't help but grin. Hopefully Trafalgar would need some extra hours to undo his son's security measure.

"I was just angry and afraid at the same time and I didn't know what to do. Do you think I'm a monster now? You didn't take the squirrel business that well...", Law kept babbling on but Savenna didn't really care for what he had to say. Briskly, she turned to him and pressed a quick kiss on his cheek. She had wanted to try this on someone since she had read of it in books she wasn't supposed to read. All of a sudden she noticed Law's face growing red up to his ears. First he glanced at her as if he had seen a ghost, then he turned away, scowling over the valley. Savenna, on the other hand, didn't care much about his strange behavior. She put it off as everything incomprehensible and unusual about him and chuckled lightheartedly, like every time she invaded someone's privacy. Then she stated: "Stop torturing yourself about it. This is the coolest and nicest thing someone has ever done for me! If I had been a doctor, I would have done it myself. "

"Really?" Law gave her a hesitating look.

"Really. Mushroom-head, you're the best! Even though I wonder why you carry needles around in your pockets like bubblegum", she mentioned with a wide grin, letting herself fall back into the grass. Although they were probably in a lot more trouble than before, Savenna felt as good as she hadn't in a long time. She saw Law leaning back in the grass next to her, watching the sky. Then a small, satisfied smile crept on his lips too and he chuckled. "It felt good too, though. They've deserved it."

"I couldn't agree more. But the next time you want to impress me, you can just buy me something pretty", she joked and rolled herself closer to him. After sinking into her thoughts, she asked: "Am I really the worst person you've ever met?" Suddenly she felt Law stiffen next to her. "No", he said then, stammering. "I didn't mean that...I was just..."

"Being mean?"

"Yes, probably. I'm sorry."

"No hard feelings, really. I can relate. And again, thank you for yesterday. I'll find a way to repay you some day."

From up the hill they watched the servants hushing around the cars attending to the boys, who had paid a high prize for the action they've allowed themselves last night. For there were too many patients for the doctor to treat at home, an ambulance arrived in the next ten minutes, taking them to the city hospital. Law and Savenna observed the events from a safe distance where they couldn't hear Sophia calling their names.

"So, Amber Lead poisoning, huh?", Law began after a while tearing leaves from a bunch of clovers. "Yes. It's a quite nasty thing", Savenna replied and watched how the sun reflected on her skin that was now as white as Flevance's streets.

"Father said it's genetic and comes from the first time our ancestors started using the metal. He said also that he's searching for a cure and now with the right information I might help him with the lab work", the young doctor said with a weary smile which faded quite quickly. "But I also did the maths. We've waited too long. If we'd stopped digging a decade ago, we might have spared a lot of people. And if we don't do anything now, there won't be a next generation of citizens. For the children falling sick now won't grow old enough to have their own children. Our generation of patients might not outgrow the age of thirteen...", Law stopped suddenly as he realized to whom he was talking. "Oh my God. I didn't mean..."

"Don't", she replied with a casual smile. "I've known this for some time now. I can take it."

Law was thrown back into his thoughts, then his gaze turned sharp again. "But it won't come to that. There is a cure to every disease. We'll just have to find it."

"We will. And I'm sure the doctor would do anything to find it before more children fall sick", Savenna said, thinking about the kids back in school. But if she were to be honest, she would love to watch the poison tearing Pablo and the others apart. Speaking of Pablo, there was still a thing she had to find out.

"Law?"

"Hm?"

"I have to ask you something. It's not about the illness, well not entirely..."

He looked up, his gray eyes alert like a sailor's before a thunderstorm. "What is it?" She needed some time to find the right words. "Just before I fainted last night, I saw a really strange thing and I'm not sure what it was. Pablo was there, ready to attack me but then he just stopped. I remember him collapsing but I didn't actually do anything... I might be mixing things up here, I don't know. Could you tell what actually happened?"

First Law stayed silent, his face turning secretive. Then he finally he said: "You were just standing there. You looked frightening – don't get me wrong, you're frightening most of the time, at least to me – but this was different. You were furious, your eyes went all dark and then, whatever it was, it hit them really hard. It was as if you actually crazy-slapped them with your mind."

"Why didn't it hurt you or Lamie, then?", Savenna wanted to know, her determination going beyond simple curiosity. Law shrugged in return. "It did a little bit, it think. I remember feeling slightly sick before their lights went out. But then it was already over and I was afraid the same thing had killed you too."

Savenna thought it over again. She must have been missing something, because even after Law had told her the whole story, nothing made the slightest sense to her. She couldn't have had done something similar, for she wasn't a devil fruit user. According to what she knew from books, that is.

"I haven't stop wondering about this since then", Law confessed. "I've been going to medical school for a couple of years now, but I haven't ever seen or read about this in any class. Back at the library, I was going through my father's books to see if I had missed something important. But I haven't. I really don't know what happened." After considering what he had said, she shrugged. "At least it made my body entirely white now. I couldn't stand those ugly, asymmetrical marks anyway." Savenna gave a quick laugh which died as Law's frown grew darker.

"That was what my father wanted to talk to you about earlier", he revealed with a tight voice as if he were spilling a secret.

"What do you mean...?"

"The marks", Law answered and swallowed hard. "My father never had a patient whose marks actually had the time to complete themselves. Every single patient died when the poison started closing in on him. You are the exception. You should have died yesterday from that fever, but you haven't. And that is what he doesn't understand."

"Couldn't that simply mean that you're a good doctor?", she asked, trying to lighten him up with a smile. But Law shook his head firmly. "No, but I think it might be something related to Pablo's sudden weakness. I just can't figure out what."

But before Savenna could make some sense out of that, their were disturbed by a familiar sounding siren in the distance. Both of their heads turned in the direction it came from. It was the ambulance which had brought the patients to the hospital over a half an hour ago. "Why is it coming back? They were all brought over already. And why is the siren still going?", Law wondered.

"I don't know..." Savenna frowned, looking down on the Trafalgar estate with a piercing eye. _What is going on?_ But she got the answer soon than she had hoped for. Sophia nearly stumbled over the porch as she ran outside to meat the paramedics. She was closely followed by Magdalena who was carrying something. But as she saw the fabric of a pink dress, she realized the governess was carrying _someone._

"Lamie!", Law cried out and jumped back on his feet. Form the distance the little girl seemed to hang motionless in Magdalena's arms. For a blink of an eye, Savenna wondered what could have happened to her, but deep inside she she already knew. _Amber Lead poisoning_.

Then she took a deep breath and caught up with Law who was already half way down the hill.


	6. When walls come closing in

Hey everyone! First of all, wow! I've never thought there would so many encouraging reviews and people following my story! You people are amazing! :-D  
And to answer your question about the future of the story, I didn't give it much thought as I started writing, but I've grown kinda attached to the two and would love to write about them as adults :-) And again, don't hesitate to tell me if there is something wrong with the story or the writing, I'm still learning... ^^

Anyway, here's a new chapter. It's a bit dark but I hope you'll enjoy it nevertheless!

* * *

By the time they had reached the driveway, everybody was gone. The ambulance had left with howling sirens, taking the girl and the two women to the hospital. Law's mother Mary had already been on call and the doctor had left with Pablo and the others, leaving the house deserted aside from the kitchen and cleaning staff. Hardly ever had Savenna seen the Law in such agitation. He had run like a crazy person, but regardless of his efforts they had arrived too late. Now Savenna stemmed her hands on her knees, breathing hard.

Law cursed.

"They're gone. What do you want to do?", she asked. "Follow them?" The boy didn't even consider other options and nodded right away. It seemed to be the wrong time to say something about what they had witnessed, so she let it be. Instead she hushed into the house and rummaged in the wardrobe until she found a cloak with a big enough hood to cover her white hair. When she returned to Law she saw his face motionless, staring down the driveway. His look could have frozen her heart solid.

"Let's go", he decided. But as he headed for the gate, Savenna held him back. The gaze he gave her in return, made her back away before he could free himself violently. "Calm down, Law", she said, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. "That's just not the quickest way. If you're on foot, that is..."

Law looked at her as if hooked to an electric wire, but then he let his shoulders fall down and sighed. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. There's a short cut to the hospital. If we don't get in trouble on the way, we'll be there in time", she said trying to calm him. The boy nodded in return and followed her to the other side of the park which led toward the city. The hospital was located a couple of streets from the city center, close to the street where Savenna's parents lived. She knew the path from one of the various times she had run away from home, her backpacks full with food and silver. Everything she needed to become a pirate. Unfortunately the servants had caught her each time and scolded her until she realized how ridiculous her adventures had been. However, she was right about the trouble they came cross. Running through other people's gardens, climbing through a kitchen window and biting one servant who threatened to call the police, counted in the boy's eyes as breaking the law, but he didn't complain.

Despite everything, they arrived at the square in from of the hospital only a couple of minutes after the paramedics had left the little girl to the doctors, handling the inrush in the emergency room. As they stumbled into the park following the ambulance driveway, Savenna nearly tripped over the seam of her dress and cursed. _That little girl already starts digging my grave_ , she thought with annoyance and tightened the cloak, that hid her condition from the people passing by. Law's eyes were firmly directed at the busy entrance. He didn't notice her limping, while he hurried toward the building.

Savenna gasped for air. The run made her feel hot and chilly at the same time, but she speeded up her pace. Law had taken care of her in spite of his injuries, so she wouldn't cry over some non-existing stamina. Of course it dawned on her that this was the poison making her weak, but she didn't give it a second thought. The girl followed Law over the cobbled driveway, toward the entrance where Savenna's eyes widened with anxiety.

There were many people hurrying past them, calling names and words she didn't understand. Occasionally, some of them bumped into her but nobody seemed to notice. The doctors and nurses ignored the kids for they weren't collapsing on their hands. Something must be wrong, Savenna thought. They had entered the first hallway now, where people hushed through like ants in an anthill, and pressed themselves against the wall.

"Is it always so busy in here?", she managed to ask throughout the noise.

"It can get quite crowded, but I've never seen it like this before", the boy said, letting his mind off his sister's condition for the first time. Relieved about not being the only one noticing it, Savenna continued her way through the hall.

"Do you know where they might have taken her?"

Law seemed to ponder for a while then he said: "They probably know who she is. She might be in one of my father's patient rooms in the south wing. But I'm not sure."

Savenna nodded absently. A large, swing door separated them from the main hall that seemed to be the center of the unusual bewilderment. They saw a group of nurses rushing through and drew aside before they got hit in the face by the swinging metal. Silently, they waited until the door swung back into it's resting position. Savenna lingered next to Law when the boy laid his hand on the wing and pushed it open.

The image that presented itself to her, was one she wouldn't forget for a long time.

Long rows of cots, shielded with white, limpid curtains from the distant eye, followed the hallway, turning the facility into a crowded military hospital. Heavy breathing came form the bed next to Savenna and made her retreat immediately behind Law. Only now did she notice that her disguise was useless. Cursing, moaning and even screaming echoed in the walls of the emergency room, while nobody seemed to listen. The air smelled of cold sweat and dampness. Judging from the number of occupied beds, half of the city must have come seeking treatment while completely overwhelming the outnumbered medical staff. The air inside the walls felt so thick, it dimmed the bright sunlight falling in through the large windows. Neither Law nor Savenna wondered what had brought the people here.

As they moved slowly through the rows, they saw the whitening limbs and the shaking bodies. Somewhere a nurse was trying to tie a young woman to the bed. The fever must have made her turn mad. On the other side a man was crying for painkillers that no one even considered on wasting on him. Savenna was close to pressing her hands over her ears. The scene in front of her eyes seemed so unreal, she didn't bother hiding her horrified daze.

Covered by her wide cloak, she ignored the people she had already met or knew by name. She had passed her teacher in silence, thinking about how she wouldn't get interrogated on maths again. Some of her father's sailors she had played cards with were suffocating, half-way gone in wild fever dreams. Even though the visit couldn't have taken them more than five minutes, it appeared to her like an eternity until Law finally dragged her into a dark corridor.

"Those people...they're all going to die", she said matter-of-factly, following his footsteps. "Apparently they are", he said dryly and kept on moving.

Although her mind was reluctant to do so, she thought of the cure the doctor had promised her all that time ago. If there was an actual cure to this cursed disease, why wouldn't he have given it to them already? She felt her heart beating heavily in the moment she realized it had taken the disease one night to fill the hospital with patients that were completely fine the day before. The longer they waited, the faster it seemed to spread. What was he waiting for?

As they came closer to the doctor's cabinets, Law let go of her and began to run. Savenna tried to keep up with him, but her limbs were just too tired. Magdalena and Sophia were waiting in front of the door they had also brought Savenna to, the night the governess had discovered her first mark.

"What in God's name are you doing here?", the maid shrieked, watching them with tired, empty eyes.

"I...", Savenna tried to explain, but Law rushed past them and disappeared behind the door. Sophia intended on holding him back and followed him with quick steps.

"I know." Magdalena leaned against the wall and pulled the girl closer to her. The governess' hair had come undone for the first time in years and Savenna knew that this meant something was going way beyond wrong. "I'm so sorry for leaving you behind. I've been all over the house looking for you, but somehow I knew you were busy protecting baby doctor. I wouldn't have found you even if I put the building upside down and I was sure you two would be safe together..."

"Don't worry. I'm fine", the girl assured her, clinging to skirts as tight as she never had before. "What happened to her?"

First the governess didn't answer and rubbed her forehead. Savenna couldn't tell if she was puzzled or sad. Maybe both. "It happened so quickly, I don't even know. I brought her to bed yesterday and I haven't seen a single mark. I checked deliberately and found nothing. But as she heard the news about her brother today, she simply collapsed. She even stopped breathing for a while. The paramedics gave her air and as we arrived here, she was blazing."

"The fever stroke that fast?", Savenna asked with a frown. "It took the poison weeks to bring me that far."

The woman shrugged. "I honestly don't know, Savenna. Sometimes I wish I would be, but I am no doctor."

The girl put the hood down and let herself glide on the floor. The white hair fell on her shoulders like feathers out of a pillow. "What about the marks? If she didn't have the marks, it could be something else, right?"

Her eyes were filled with hope until the governess shook her head. "They've already spread over her entire back. It can only be the lead." Magdalena's voice darkened. "This is horrible. The Trafalgar's are such nice people, they don't deserve such a tragedy. And neither do you."

The next hours passed quickly but afterwards it was impossible for Savenna to recall what had happened. She stayed outside with Magdalena until a nurse took her name and brought her into one of the rooms in the south wing where she could rest. After swearing she would stay awake, she doze off the minute her head had touched the pillow. Dreadful dreams haunted her sleep until she awoke drenched in sweat. Magdalena didn't move from her bedside as Savenna's fever rocketed up and she finally managed to cry. This time it was the governess holding the towel over her forehead, praying for the temperature to drop while the girl turned and tossed under the blankets.

She made several attempts to push the covers aside and go searching for Law, but none of her limbs let that happen. Swaying somewhere between sorrows and nightmares, she thought only about him, not about teacher or her parents. She didn't spare a thought about him worrying for his sister either, for she had not enough warm feelings for the girl to pray for her recovery. If she herself had survived this far, all Lamie had to do was grit her teeth. At that point, Savenna was naive enough to think that it didn't take more than sheer will and a significant amount of cursing to send Amber Lead back to hell. But as harsh as she might have been, her fevered, irrational mind feared nothing more than Law falling sick.

Just as all things changed in Flevance, summer ended briskly letting the cold sea wind freeze the last blooming flowers. Summer never lasted long in the North Blue and although it was Savenna's favorite season, there was hardly something left of it a week after she had been signed into the hospital.

The doctor hadn't even listened to her objections. Savenna's first guess was that it had something to do with Pablo and the others falling sick after they were finally able to walk free. But as she had feared, there was more to it. The situation had become serious, the doctor had said firmly. And after her escapade with Law she didn't have much say any way. However, he had been right. She was the only patient known to have survived her current state of the illness. Every one else who turned entirely white died as they did.

The state of the emergency room didn't change much. Patients almost over-floated the hospital, demanding all sorts of care. Medical staff had fallen sick too, therefore the doctor and his wife stopped leaving the hospital at the end of the day to follow their duties. There wouldn't be anyone left in the estate to take care of Lamie whose condition worsened quicker than Savenna's. The poisoning had struck the little girl like a blast of lightening. He hair had turned white within a week, leaving her skin with a concerning zebra motive, balancing the white and the normal parts of her skin. She complained about pain and her fever rose at least once all two days. Immediately she had been put on all sorts of medication and hardly left her bed. Mary watched over her most of the time and Law barely left her bedside and when he did, it was to help his father in the laboratory. It happened that Savenna didn't see him for three days in a row, even though she escaped Magdalena's watch to go looking for him. Despite her irritation and stirring jealousy, the governess managed to convince her to cut the boy some slack.

Sophia fell sick two weeks later. Magdalena and Savenna were playing cards when she told her. Although she had no fondness for Trafalgar's maid, the news bothered her a great deal. She even started to feel sorry for the pranks she had pulled on her. To her eyes, Sophia was such a annoying person that she seemed almost invincible. Magdalena's words brought the girl a step closer to reality. Then she considered something she had never thought about before.

"What about you, Magda?"

"What about me, Miss?" The governess had improved her abilities in Logue Town Joker and had just killed Savenna's admiral with an ace of hearts.

"Are you going to be sick too?", the girl wanted to know, suddenly anxious. The only thought of the woman leaving her, made her feel horrible. But to her relief, the governess shook her head, resting somewhere in her thoughts.

"I'm from far away. I wasn't born here. The lead hasn't poisoned me long enough and will probably leave me alone for one lifetime. I don't know about more." Savenna was attentive enough to understand that Magdalena had already accepted the fact that she wouldn't have any children of her own, and her gut told her to drop the subject. She was just glad the things between them wouldn't change as fast as everything else did.

Savenna looked outside and sighed. The large birch throwing shadows in her room had started to lose its crown. The leaves were colored like gentle flames of a bonfire, sailing slowly to the ground.

It was only mid October when the first snow fell. Savenna hadn't seen the time flying. The days in the hospital blurred into one which never seemed to end. She had observed patients, had given them nick names and watched them die eventually without knowing who they were and what they left behind. Law had visited her a couple of times but never stayed long enough for them to talk about things that truly bothered them. Her mother had visited once with flowers and the girl's favorite chocolates. Savenna knew that the poison had ruined the beauty she had been so proud of but truth be told, her mother looked worse. Being already a quite slender woman, she had lost even more weight, which made her look weary and sour. Her face had turned hard and her eyes cold. As far as Savenna could judge, her mother wasn't suffering from the poison but it was obvious that she was suffering from something else.

Their conversations hadn't improved since the last time they met, therefore Savenna's mother spent more time talking to Magdalena than to her daughter. As the girl asked for her father, her mother stiffened. Then she told her that her father was fine and that he had gone for another trip that would last a bit longer than usual. She wouldn't see him in a long time. Even weakened from her illness, the girl got furious and screamed louder than a merchant getting robbed of his best goods. She didn't even try to understand why it didn't occur to her mother that she might be dead when he got back. But as usual, Savenna's provocations were useless.

For the next hours, after her mother had left, she was devastated. When nobody came to consult her, she calmed herself and got out of bed. Although she missed her father and although she couldn't possibly believe her mother's story, she convinced herself to seek some distraction.

Lamie's condition hadn't changed much, except that she wasn't able to leave the bed any more. Her legs had turned completely white and had grown utterly weak and fragile. In her case, the sickness which had started violently, had eased off thanks to some crazy treatment her father had instructed. But even the nurses knew that it wouldn't help on the long run. The poisoning spread more slowly, but at some point or another it would engulf Lamie's body like a shark devouring a seal.

Savenna visited her every day and read her stories out of the books Magdalena had brought over from the house. She knew them so well that sometimes she just pretended to read while making up the things she was telling. Lamie was always happy to see her and protested heavily every time her new friend had to leave.

However, the little girl didn't know that what seemed pure tenderheartedness, was a simple excuse to meet with Law. Savenna didn't have to be a genius to notice the reason of his absence. All the free time allowed himself, he spent at his sister's bedside. So even on the days Savenna felt like pain would make her tear the hospital apart with her bare hands, she forced herself to seek them out. Every time he entered the room and saw her sitting there, he gave her the usual quick and checking look, exchanged a couple of words with her just to make sure she was all right and finally turned to his sister. When the number of patients grew higher and higher, he took over Mary's part and cared for his sister day and night. She tried to understand his concern, tried not to take it personally and find it anything close to cute, but she couldn't. She had managed to put her selfishness aside for some time, but it wouldn't be for long.

No one told Savenna much about what happened in the other parts of the clinic. But the longer she stayed, the better she got at chasing and detecting gossip and other unpleasant news. None of the nurses talked about it in Lamie's presence, but she knew that the supplies were short. Painkillers were only given in the most crucial cases and the medicine that broke down the fever was only used on patients were there was hope left. None of them concerned the girl much for she was used to both fever and pain. Surviving so long, everybody had taken her presence for granted and was somehow sure, she would simply yell the pain out of her body if she had too. But unfortunately that wasn't the case for the other patients.

Every day Savenna saw more and more body bags leaving the clinic for the cemetery. They didn't bother making them pretty or planning on ceremonies for the burial. The corpses of sick people were burned as quickly as possible about of fear that the poison would spread out of the dead bodies.

While listening to the little radio in Mary Trafalgar's office, Savenna had also spotted the lie in her mother's words: The surrounding countries had started avoiding Flevance's merchant ships months ago. Rumors had spread calling the Amber Lead poisoning a fatal and highly contagious disease that could be transmitted by nothing more than a touch. Savenna smiled dryly to herself. This time it wasn't only Law that had fallen for this lie. According to the news, now more and more parts of the world started believing it. The day the girl listened to the transmission was also the day, the countries in the entire North Blue imposed a blockade for all Flevance merchandise. No ships that had thrown an anchor in Flevance Port would be allowed to dock anywhere from there to Grand Line. The situation was beyond serious. No matter how much imagination she put to use, she couldn't find a way how the doctors or the government could keep caring for the sick and feed their people.

The news made the round quicker than expected. The next day, Flevance mayor held a speech attempting to comfort the citizens. But despite the solutions he suggested, everyone knew that things wouldn't get better.

Radios transmitted the news in the main hall of the hospital. Savenna had meddled in a small group of nurses and listened to mayor with a sorrowful expression. She returned to her room with a heavy heart that day. Disappointed not to see Magdalena waiting for her, she grabbed the coat from the bed and climbed on the window sill. The fire colored leaves on the birch hadn't survived the cold and laid dead on the hard, frozen ground. Now even the earth had taken on the color of her skin. Large, glittering snowflakes sailed down from the sky and landed silently on the other side of the window. Savenna followed them with dreamy eyes. Frost had covered the window glass and let the cold inside the heavy walls. The girl bore down a cough and suddenly she realized that she probably wouldn't be here to see the snow melting again. With a scowl, she breathed on the icy glass and wrote an indecent word in the mist. Just as she wanted to add an obscene gesture, someone knocked on the door. She sighed.

"Come on in, Magda!", she called. "Maybe you can teach me some fancy cursing before this place goes to the devil." The steps she heard enter the room weren't Magdalena's. Savenna turned around and saw a familiar mushroom standing in the doorway.

"Oh." She drew her knees closer to her chest. "Don't bother about the cursing. I'm not sure, you're qualified for the job. No offense, Mushroom-Head."

"None taken. Didn't I tell you to stay away from cold windows?", he said, eyeing her with his usual scary stare she missed sometimes. The white coat he wore threatened to swallow him up by being made for a grown-up man. He simply dragged it along, trying not to trip over his own feet. But that was pretty much the only thing that kept him from appearing like a real doctor.

"I'm in a disobeying mood right now. How's doctor-business going?"

"We're short on staff, obviously", he replied and put on a broken smile. He approached her with careful steps, and climbed next to her after earning an approving nod. After seeing his face, she grasped that it had been a long time since she had seen him that closely. His face had aged considerably in a month. Either his bones had grown faster or he had lost some of his baby fat. The circles under his eyes had grown darker, telling her that he hadn't gotten much sleep. Although pity stroke her only by looking at him, she kept it to herself.

"How are you feeling?", he wanted to know watching the snow fall. Savenna shrugged. His lack of attention over the last weeks still made her upset. The usual urge to make a scandal began stirring up her temper. "Honestly, I feel horrible."

Immediately Law's face grew darker. "What's wrong? Do you need anything?"

"Everything! Didn't you hear the mayor speaking in the hall? There's nothing to do here, except watching people die. Things are going down and I'm not sure I want to know how this is going to end." Against her expectations, she felt him relaxing next to her.

"My father told me not to listen to these things. They're just another way to scare us. All we need to do is treat our patients. The rest is government business. So I thought I'm going check on you. How are you with pain, trouble breathing or fever?"

"How about despair? I might have that", she replied dryly. "Are you kidding? These are real problems! I know enough about politics to tell you for sure that this isn't going to be pretty. We live in this hospital and you can't say that there is no truth behind what he's saying", she exclaimed and tightened the cloak around her shoulders. He watched her, puzzled.

"We have to get out of here before they close the borders", she said calmly and let her gaze room over the abandoned hospital park. Now it wasn't just her being mad. The fear spreading in the hospital halls finally started to catch up with her.

"What are you saying?" Form the corner of her eye she notices him growing pale. Maybe she hadn't picked her words carefully enough, but even after seeing Law's reaction she wouldn't take them back. "I'm saying that we're only steps away from turning into a quarantine zone. I've read some of the books in your mother's office while I couldn't sleep. And I think it's safe to say that Amber Lead poisoning has gone from _disease_ to _epidemic_ in the last few weeks. You are in medical school, you know what the government does in such cases."

Judging from the look on his face he knew where she was heading. But instead of agreeing with her, his eyes hardened. His face was covered by a mask of indifference. "That's not an option", he said firmly.

Savenna didn't want to believe what she had just heard. Her white mane got slammed into his face as she drew frighteningly closer. "What other options do you think there are? Hiding in this hospital forever? What about water, food and our precious medical supplies? Where do you want to get them from when no ship leaves the harbor? Maybe you should stop listening to your father." She had all the logic on her side but Law refused to hear her out. His numb determination scared her.

" And what about all the others? The ones that can't run and climb over fences while being sick? You do only think about yourself because you would be strong enough to actually pull it off."

"Me?", Savenna yelped with indignation. "Your father told me the same thing the night I got sick and I'm still the sick one here! How come you always forget about that? And if you had taken some time to actually talk to me, I would have told you long ago but you just don't care enough!"

She saw Law gritting his teeth and deep in her confused mind she enjoyed it as she always had.

"Don't you have any idea what's going on here? I have to work and help people. I can't even remember when I wasn't on call the last time and I'm not even a real doctor yet. Nearly all medical school has fallen sick and a lot of nurses already left. So I'm sorry, I can't just run off and leave them behind. I couldn't, even if I wanted to. I'm not like you", he hissed through his teeth, clenching his fists. Savenna didn't count on him to explode so quickly and had to recalculate her moves. She scowled deeply at him. "I do all I can! I sit with your stupid sister every stupid day and I don't even like children."

"You are ten years old, idiot! What are you, a grandmother? And I thought you'd like my sister!"

"Shut up! That's not the point!"

"And what's the point then? You being selfish?"

"Don't you dare - !", she started but he didn't let her finish.

"You just don't understand", he said suddenly resigned. "You are not like them. You don't need my help. You walk through the hospital like the devil strolling though hell, spying on nurses and reading stories. When I saw you collapsing on that street I thought you would be dead within days but somehow you survive all of your attacks. Medically speaking, you're the healthiest person in this hospital. But the others don't have your stupid stubbornness."

Savenna wanted to say something but pressed her lips together instead. Sudden rage hit her so hard didn't know what to say. Magdalena had watched him treat her fever once and had done it since then. The doctor had approved it, since there wasn't much more he could do. Her sickness was too advanced even for his research. He checked on her regularly, but Magdalena had been there for everything, the agony the lead put her in as it spread under her skin and the long, sleepless nights. Law didn't know anything about the misery she went through, just because she somehow managed to stay on the right side of the tunnel. Feeling weak and abandoned she let him talk.

"And Lamie", he continued. "She's nothing like you either. She's fragile and needs every help I can provide. You don't have brothers and sisters, it's not my fault you can't imagine what it's like being responsible for someone else." Savenna's white eyes went cold. "And besides, she's my family. I just can't leave her behind. But you wouldn't understand anyway, you don't even seem to love your own parents enough to forgive them for not taking you to a party."

Law had argued so passionately, he didn't see her shaking. There were so many things to say that just evaporated from her mind. She felt the heat rising up in her and leaned against the freezing window without giving it second thought. Mary had been right, he was a good student. He had learned how to be mean in less than a month. Savenna stayed silent, fixed on the dead tree outside.

When Law finally realized what he had done, his eyes grew wide with shock. But before he could make an attempt to apologize, there was another knock on the door.

"Yes?" Savenna's steady voice echoed in the walls. A young nurse opened the door, obviously relieved to find Law where she expected him. "Good day, Miss Savenna."

"Good day, Trudy", the girl replied politely without a smile, recognizing the woman from her voice. The nurse wasn't here for her. "Trafalgar Law, your father needs you in his cabinet." The boy nodded and the woman disappeared. He turned toward the girl but it was pointless. She treated him like thin air, not even trying to make him leave or stay. Sadness made his shoulders hang, while he made his way out of the room.

In the hours to come, Savenna sat at the window and thought about how and especially why she hated people. Even though there were some she admired, on that after-noon she had no mercy to show. It was easy to simply dislike people by putting them all together in a pot and by burning them in nice, hypothetical flames of an imaginary hell. But the way Savenna saw it, this was the mistake most misanthropists made. People that were worth hating, were unique in their bad qualities. So as for her, the right way to hate them was to despise them one by one for their special reasons.

Lists were the way she handled herself when things went beyond her reach. If she couldn't change a situation, she could at least feel free to complain about it instead of going mad. But to her further annoyance, she came to understand that her list for that day was rather long.

However, the passionate feelings she had for her mother's absence and her constant disapproval, had faded in favor of her dislike toward the entire Trafalgar family. First of all she gritted her teeth only at the thought of Mary, the perfect mother. Besides, always making sacrifices for her nasty and annoying children, she was also convinced to save everyone else. Savenna, on the other hand, was convinced that she wouldn't find a more stupid and pathetic person in whole Flevance, even if she had to dig up the dead. The next on her list was the doctor. A smart and respected man that could do everything, except for talking to his son. The things he told him besides medical nature, were either lies or simple none-sense. And he wasn't one to keep his promises either. Savenna's eyes were limpid and empty, watching a strange reality that only existed inside her head.

The parents were just warm-up, though. The real satisfaction came only when she started to think about Lamie. _Poor little Lami_ , she thought, imagining how the the lead worked itself through her body while leaving her in excruciating pain. She pictured her all alone in her room, tucked into bed, screaming for a good soul that never came. _Fragile and weak_. In none of the worlds Savenna had seen or read about, were these adjectives actually referred to as qualities. But surprisingly, in Lamie's world there were important leverage. That brat got everything she wanted just for being sick and helpless and Savenna hated her for that. She would have loved to be as sick and as helpless as she was. Life would be much more pleasant. She would take the double of her pain just to see all the people she loved taking care of her.

And that led her to Law, the source of all trouble. Neither Lamie nor her mother would upset her that much, if he hadn't been there. He should have left her alone in the first place. What point was there in being nice and helping her out if she didn't count in the end? Of course somewhere in the depth of her rational thoughts she knew that he couldn't be blamed. At least not entirely. He couldn't have guessed what it was like to grow up as a rich merchant's daughter, seeing people she got used to come and go as the tide rose. She had been raised by a governess and spoke her first words sitting on a captain's lap. Family sounded differently in her ears. Savenna's love went beyond blood, as did her sorrow. But Law's lack of understanding wasn't what upset her the most. It was his complete indifference that shocked and frightened her. The future of Flevance had been decided, but he just wouldn't admit it because he was too busy listening to others then himself.

Savenna sighed. The list had achieved it's goal. Now she was calm again and could start thinking straight. The mayor's speech wasn't something they should ignore, that was for sure. She would talk to Magdalena and listen to what she thought about it. Something had to be done. Jolting the chill out of her limbs, she jumped back on her feet. A slight dizziness caught hold of her and she rubbed her head, suppressing the increasing burning under her skin. Nonetheless, she walked over to her bedside table and searched for some history books. This surely wasn't the first case of epidemic, therefore there must be records of how the people had handled the situation.

The hospital bed was high to climb into, but she managed it without tearing her dress. Gently she opened the first page of a large tome and started reading. The girl disappeared again in a parallel dream world where her knowledge was gained and stored. After two hours she had flipped through tree books and had started a fourth one, when someone knocked on the door.

Savenna snapped and shook her head, as Trudy's braids appeared in the doorway. "Law isn't here", she said as quietly as possible. "You'll be the first one I'll tell if he shows up. So you can help me kick him out again."

But Trudy's face went blank at the sight of the girl. She struggled for an appropriate answer but failed. Then the nurse looked at her with watery eyes, pressing her lips together.

"What is it, Trudy?" Something was wrong. Suddenly Savenna could sense it from across the room.

"Please pardon me, Miss", she started. "It's your father. He's in the emergency."

The halls and corridors seemed to stretch constantly every time Savenna turned around a corner. All of a sudden the hospital had transformed into a never-ending labyrinth of dark rooms and crowded hallways, as if trying to hold her back. She ran as if chased by a pack of hungry dogs. Her pulse hammered in her ears, her heart racing and her temples throbbing violently. The nasty sensation of an upcoming cough rose in her throat but she swallowed it down. There wasn't a second she would spare for her own cursed poison.

She had lost Trudy somewhere between the lab and the operating room, heading straight to the main hall that received the majority of the incoming patients. As soon as she swung the doors open, the sticky scent of acid and slow death hit her in the face. Although the walls were high and the nurses kept some windows open the air felt heavy and stale, while the heat of the giant ceiling light poured sweat on her forehead. Since she had pushed the nurse out of the way, leaving her room in a rush, her thought hadn't stopped running in circles. She had remembered him being there, the night they had brought her to the hospital, and talking to the doctor. She recalled them speaking for a very long time even though her memory of that moment were hardly more than vague images. Savenna could barely believe her own simple-mindedness.

It took her the whole way from her room to the emergency to figure out why her mother had lied to her. Her father had been sick long before she was. The more she thought about it, the more she recalled from the conversation between him and Trafalgar in the gloomy room so long ago. Her mother hadn't been present that night. She couldn't have known.

And Savenna had pretended all that time that she didn't either. It was too horrible knowledge to remember. The moment she stared at the endless row of occupied cots, she admitted how foolish she had been. She had unintentionally forgot about her father's illness to be able to handle her own. Law had been right, her stubborn selfishness was the thing that kept her alive. It was the first time in her life, Savenna was disappointed of herself and succumbed to someone else's judgment. The anger from before collapsed like a house of cards. She had fought hard so people considered her love as something that mattered, but in the end she figured, it didn't do any good to anyone.

Forgetting herself she ranged the cots. She had used up the force in her limbs, so like an old woman she leaned against bedposts and window sills in order to advance. She hid so none of the nurses could see her stumble and fall. Then she forced herself to go on. Heavily breathing, she stopped as a familiar shape appeared across the hall. Magdalena stood quietly, her hands folded, next to a bed shielded by curtains. It didn't seem any different form the others and for a short time the girl doubted the news to be true.

However, she gave herself a push and silently like a ghost, she made her way toward the governess. Nobody noticed her, even as Savenna finally paused behind her. The picture she saw could have been pulled straight out of her nightmares.

The patient, turning violently in the dirty bed sheets, didn't recognize her. White, disarrayed hair covered a face distorted into a monstrous grimace. Her father's eyes were pressed together, while his lips trembled, producing unintelligible noises. The shiny, limpid skin color had spread over his entire chest, revealing his pounding blood vessels and muscles cramped in agony. The nurses had tied him to the cot, probably so he wouldn't hurt others or himself. The shock that Savenna waited for, didn't come. Instead she kept on staring at the strong man who was her father, but who now whimpered like a toddler.

"Heavens! What is she doing here?", her mother's voice broke suddenly, watching her with an almost hysterical expression. "Someone, please, bring my daughter out of here! This isn't the place for a child!"

Once their eyes met, Savenna understood that it wasn't only her father she didn't recognize. Her mother's eyes blazed with venom. With the heat of two fierce flames they could have burned a hole in the girl's skin. She was going mad, Savenna thought and didn't move. Neither did the others.

"Pardon me, please. I thought it would by only fair to tell the girl. I -." Trudy had finally arrived and tried to explain. But as soon as she saw the shadow on the mother's face, she fell silent.

"And I think it will be fair to talk to doctor Trafalgar and get you suspended for such unreasonable behavior!", she replied dryly and crossed the overly slim arms in front of her chest. Trudy stayed motionless and silent.

"What is it with you, for God's sake? Take her away!", her mother commanded. Before anyone could respond to her order, she seized her daughter by the arms and intended to pull her away. Never had her mother's hand felt so cold. Savenna jerked with fear. Her mother's face stiffened even more. "This is not the time to make a scene, Savenna! Don't you see your father is in pain? I will not allow -."

But this time Savenna had no intention to be patient and polite. Briskly, she tore herself away from her mother, her face filled with raw violence. The ice colored hair exploded around her like a terrifying halo. Her mother backed away, turning pale.

Savenna's full lips bent into an enraged grimace. "Be quiet! He's my father and I have as much right to be here as you. And don't you dare lying to me ever again!"

Her voice had lost the high, childish pitch and made her sound years older than she was. However, this was enough to let everybody give way to the mad girl with the ghostly shape.

It took Savenna a few moments to calm down. She remembered the look on Law's face when they had talked about what happened on the night of the festival. And that was exactly the one she earned now. Trudy's and especially her mother's face were as easy to read as a title on a book. Shock and fear. Magdalena looked simply more worried than on other days. But Savenna would deal with them later.

Slowly and with hesitant steps, she approached her father's bed. He didn't even notice her. He turned his head from side to side, eyeing something in the distance. His breath went quickly while Savenna could feel the abnormal heat of his body only by leaning over him. All of a sudden he caught sight of her and pressed out a scream. Everyone except for her backed away from the bed. Savenna swallowed hard and came closer. As much as it hurt, she was able to relate to his sudden terror. Her skin was almost transparent. To everybody who was caught in a deep, feverish dream she could have appeared anything else but human.

With soft words and gentle gestures she managed to quieten him. Her mother watched her with attentive eyes while she spoke to him of what had happened during the last months. Even though he didn't make any signs of understanding, she told him about Law and Lamie, the squirrels in Trafalgar's gardens and Sophia's annoying voice. She mentioned how beautiful the fireworks had been this year and how she missed being on one of his ships.

Her mother made few attempts to separate them, but soon she decided she could use some fresh air and disappeared in the labyrinth of hospital beds. That's when Savenna had finally the chance to talk to Trudy about her father's condition. Apparently he had been coming to the hospital for regular check-ups. His illness had been a sleeping one, progressing quite slowly and allowing him to travel and work as much as he had before. But several attacks followed and the poison covered his body more and more each time the fever stroke. He had refused to sign in until her mother didn't see another way.

"How are the chances that he survives?", Savenna asked boldly. She was holding her father's hand even though he had lost consciousness an hour ago. Despite the numerous death certificates Trudy signed every day, she seemed uncomfortable discussing the subject with such a young girl who as in addition a patient. But Magdalena who had observed the scene quietly, gave a silent nod and the nurse sighed.

"There is hardly any chance", she said finally, avoiding Savenna's glance. "The lead has covered too many parts of his body. It feeds at the bones and organs as we speak." Then she reached for a shot waiting on the bedside table and injected the liquid in her father's arm vein. "This will ease the pain for a couple of hours, but I can't guarantee more."

"How long will he live, then?", the girl asked motionless. Trudy shivered at the subtle tone of the girl's voice. Savenna's face was straight and tear-less.

"A day, maybe two with some luck."

"What can I do?", Savenna asked with anxiousness creeping on her reddened cheeks. Trudy stepped away from the bed. "The doctors try to stop the poison from spreading at early stages but in your father's case, I honestly don't know", she admitted and left them alone. Savenna waited for her to turn around the corner to finally be able to curse and to cry. Magdalena sat down next to her and did the same.

Her mother broke down as Savenna gave her the news. She had to be calmed down with several shots filled with tranquilizer. She sat on a chair next to her father's bed and wept as Savenna hadn't seen her before. Her strength and serenity poured out of her in waves of tears, making it impossible to talk or even to approach her.

All this time Savenna thought about death. Would she sense it coming and be able to chase it away like an undesirable dinner guest? She didn't think so while ignoring her mother and watching her father's every move. She simply hoped it would be quick.

It wasn't. It took her father five hours and twenty minutes to die from Amber Lead poisoning. Yet the last one was the worst. His body was seized with burning fever and convulsions. His fingernails scratched his palms bloody from the pain of biting his own tongue. At the mere sight of blood, her mother threw up and had to be brought away, leaving the girl alone with Magdalena.

The governess helped Savenna push her father's shoulders on the mattress when his limbs were struck with ague. Like Law had done it on Savenna, they tried to cool him down with wet towels and covers and to pour water through his dry lips. During the last moments, Savenna clung to him as if she could pull him out of the arms of death like a puppet. She shook him even after the fever had passed and his hallow body started to cool down. Only after Magdalena pulled her away, she realized it was over. Her father had died without recognizing his daughter again.

Savenna couldn't have imagined how many problems people could cause once they were dead. Night had already fallen when the police came to claim her father's corpse. She had sat on the edge of a near by bed, observing the scene as if it were a strange theater performance. Magdalena and Trudy talked to the agents, bargaining for a decent funeral which wasn't granted. The body would be brought away and buried as fast as possible to vacate the bed for other patients, so there was hardly a way to say goodbye. The girl wanted to accompany the officers to the cemetery but none of them judged it to be a good idea.

"She's just a child and that's not a place to spend the night, especially if she's a patient." They had avoided every eye contact with Savenna who was staring at them in an almost insolent way. But she enjoyed the advantage that came with having a recently deceased family member. She could behave as badly as she wanted.

Her mother was caught in a deep, violent sleep and all the attempts Savenna had made to wake her up, failed. Her body still untouched by the poison, was now hardly more than a machine out of batteries. With the help of the governess, she and Trudy sat through the paperwork and arranged an appointment with the solicitor for the next day. Magdalena pushed the girl to get some sleep but Savenna was restless. She wouldn't find sleep with her father's soul still sweeping the hallways. With her awkward, childish writing she wrote the letters to inform the rest of her family and her father's investors of the recent events. As her eyelids started to grow heavy, the governess was forced to send her to bed. She would be there in a minute, she promised, knowing that leaving Savenna alone that night wasn't an option. Truth be told, even the governess preferred to have someone to cling to.

The hallways blurred into one, while Savenna's feet found the way back to her room. Her head pounded and the usual dizziness that clouded her mind that hour transformed into a sharp pain creeping all over her body. Disoriented, she touched her temples when cursing gently. Like a wanderer lost in the desert tried to keep his mind of the blazing sun, Savenna tried not to think of the last hours filled with horror. She didn't know how to deal with tragedy, loss or emptiness, so she swore to care about it tomorrow, when she would be able to handle them one by one.

Arriving at her door, she had lost all track of time. The white dress she was wearing was covered with blood and sweat and torn by the sleeves. Before entering her room, she threw a quick glance into a small mirror in the corridor and startled. The last color had left her round cheeks. Now that she had seen a real corpse, she could say for sure that she looked like someone who had come back from the dead.

A second unpleasant revelation came as she pushed the door open.

The dim street lights plunged the room into a strange twilight. At the end of the room, a window stood open, spreading an unusual chill that touched her bare arms. Her hand cramped around the doorknob.

A solitary figure sat on her bed, the knees pressed hard to its chest. Despite her obvious unease, it didn't move. Terrified by the events of the day, Savenna's mind recalled everything she had ever heard about ghosts and made her tremble. But the longer she observed the dark shape on the bed, her fear vanished.

"You!", she called out with anger, as she saw Law's mushroom-hat lying on the floor. Immediately, his large head turned and their eyes met. First she had thought that he had been ignoring her, but looking into his expressionless eyes, she realized that he didn't even see her coming. But nothing could smooth Savenna's temper now.

"I always wondered what could fill the balloon on your shoulders and be light enough to carry. Now I know it can't be anything other than thin air. Pick up the rest of your brain cells and get lost!"

It would have been impossible for him to miss her shaking voice, but still Law didn't move. Like carved out of stone he kept staring out of the window, his body cramped up like a package ready to ship.

"Does doctor-boy need an ear exam?", she yelled now. Like a dog caught with rage, she stormed into the room and slammed several books to the ground while passing by. Nothing annoyed her more than people who weren't listening. With her hands clenched into fists, she stood in front of him, staring at him with wild eyes.

All of a sudden, Law turned back to her. His face was pale and his upper lip trembled as if he wanted to say something. Even though he looked more miserable than Savenna had ever seen him before, she cut him off:

"How many invitations do you need before I throw you out myself? After what you said earlier you could at least do as I say. And do you know what, mister I-care-so-much-about-family? My father just died. His body is probably still warm while they're already covering him up with dirt. So please pick up your wisdom, take it outside and put it up your ass! And now leave me the hell alone."

Law's hollow eyes widened as she talked. "I didn't know... I", he stumbled, still unable to move. The news seemed to paralyze him even more, what on the other hand drove Savenna close to madness.

"Of course you didn't! Why should you?"

"I didn't mean what I said earlier... ", he continued, appearing more and more helpless with each word he pronounced.

"Newsflash! I don't care!", she hissed harshly, ready to start a fight.

If their encounter had taken place on another night, Savenna would have probably sensed from the beginning that something wasn't right with him. No matter how many efforts he made, he wasn't able to make her understand. But on that particular night, she reacted badly to weaknesses and apologies.

This time she had enough. If he would leave right away, she would drag him outside herself, praying to the ghost of her father to help her with the load.

"One last time, idiot! What the hell is your problem? Either you tell me now and you get lost or I'll tend to the second myself."

Suddenly her threat sounded real. There wasn't any hesitation in her voice. Law knew that she would keep her word if he didn't do anything right now. Savenna stood in front of him, waiting. He gritted his teeth and pressed down a sob. The last thing he would do was cry. Then, slowly, he rolled down his sleeves and stretched his bare arms out to her.

The girl tilted her head and watched him with a frown. "You think I need your arms to drag you to the door? That's really helpful", she said dryly. But Law shook his head violently, staring down. Savenna was already prepared to make action follow her word, as a spark of doubt held her back. A crumb of rationality entered her mind and she began to wonder. What would have brought Law to her room at that time of the night?

It took a moment until a cruel thought crossed her mind. With careful steps she came closer. The violent anger had left her heart as she dared to look at what he showed to her. The dim street light was enough to see the white marks that had appeared on his skin.

Savenna pushed out a silent cry.

"My God...Not you too", she whispered after covering her lips with the palm of her hand. Now everything made sense, even though she had preferred it not to.

"I know I'm a coward. But I just didn't know where else to go...", he mumbled, his face now hidden by darkness. Throughout his words she heard him fighting the rising tears. She wanted to say something but then she understood that she couldn't. There was hardly anything left of her courage, no force she could have lend to somebody else.

"I'm sorry, Law. Really...", she managed to say. That was already too much. First thing she knew, she was crying while crushing Law's arm with her shaking fingers. Dazed as if somebody had hit her hard, she managed to climb on the hospital bed. Her arms crept around him, holding him in a tight grip as he did the same. The two children cried together like in the arms of a parent, sobbing with fear. They cried until their heads were pounding and their eyes burning. Only after a long time, they finally let go of each other and fell into a deep and anxious sleep.


	7. Love's tender violence

Hey there! :-) I'm back with a new chapter. Flevance is going down... However, I'll try to make it quick and catch up with their adult lives once this is over!

Again, thanks for the awesome reviews, guys! :-D They're super motivating and I really hope you'll enjoy this chapter despite the sad parts.

And about Savenna's maturity, you're right. It might have gotten out of hand at some point. I'll try to work on that! :-)

* * *

A snowball flew through the air before hitting Savenna in the face. Immediately the snow started melting and slid slowly down her cheek. She faked a shocked expression while working on her own frosty weapon. Then she took an aim and tossed it back in Law's direction.

"You throw like a girl!" Law was laughing at her from a distance. He had gone out of the way in time and already gathered snow for his next attack. Hidden behind a leafless tree in the hospital park, his face turned serious while he tried to find the perfect form for the snow between his fingers.

They had been running around for a half an hour now, both dressed in coats and gloves they had stolen from patients in the main hall. Now the snow-covered lawn was decorated with two snowmen, a large one that should impersonate Magdalena, and a small, ugly one in the approximate shape of Pablo.

A couple of weeks after Savenna's father had died, the usual and heavy North Blue snow had finally fallen. In only one night it had covered the city like a chilly white blanked, blocking streets and driveways and bringing back a bit of the town's lost joy. Nevertheless, things hadn't changed for the better. If previously the hospital halls had appeared crowded, they now looked as if a war was going on. Patients in all states of Amber Lead poisoning occupied even the tiniest room in the building. Some doctors had even moved them into the nearby houses where the owners had fled out of fear, leaving most of their belongings behind. The proud city of Flevance slowly transformed into a ghost town, buried under a thick layer of snow.

For the onrush of patients had thrown the hospital into a dirty chaos, Dr. Trafalgar had made precautions for his children and Savenna. Law's sickness had struck him hard. He seemed like a shadow of his own self as he ordered the nurses to put the children together in a smaller room, further away from the disarray. While Mary stopped by every day to see to their comfort, he hardly ever visited and spent most of the time alone in his office.

The room the three of them shared was hardly bigger than a wall closet, located in the upper basement of south wing. After protesting for days, Savenna had finally agreed to share a large bed with Lamie, while Law slept on a small cot beside them. She had to reduce the number of dresses for there wasn't enough space for a proper wardrobe, but managed to stock all of her books between the heating pipes. Usually she would have romped around and cursed at every of the doctor's orders, for she never had to share anything in her life before. But she knew how bad the situation was and that they had to be careful.

Before Law had fallen sick, she thought about running away with her family. But her father's death had changed everything. The money he had left the family belonged entirely to her mother who was half mad with grief and hadn't left the hospital since. The nurses had to feed and dress her for she barely ever woke up from the lethargy she was in. Her husband's passing had been more than she could bare so she decided not to. Therefore Savenna's options were limited. Without money or her family's name she would never be able to cross the border.

She had heard the news only a few days after her father had died. Due to the large number of sick Flevance refugees, the surrounding countries thought about closing the borders. Like everybody else, they were afraid of the sickness spreading among their people. Therefore they controlled every person on the road from the capital, examining them for marks of Amber Lead. A good bribe would still be enough to get passed the guards but without the money Savenna was powerless.

However, she couldn't blame them. Amber Lead poisoning had extended to a dimension she never had thought possible. The papers wrote about thousands of bodies burned during the last months. And that was before they had stopped printing. No Flevance citizen was safe from the poison. The mayor had died only a week after Sophia had passed away thanks to a merciful overdose of a drug Mary had smuggled into her room. The entire society fell apart, with hardly any sailors who might have delivered additional supplies or police officers to keep the streets safe.

It didn't take long for Savenna to understand that, in her condition, it was useless to grieve for the dead. Even though she would have loved to cry in her room for hours, she figured out quite fast that it didn't do her any good. Every time she drifted into agony, her body faded with her spirit. The first nights ague shook her till dawn and she barely escaped with her life. So after a week she had learned her lesson and decided to grieve for her father once she had the force to do so. Until then she chose to make sure that Law escaped the bad part of the illness as long as possible.

Despite the long marks on his arms, his illness proceeded surprisingly slowly. He was as gloomy as always because his father forbid him to work. To Lamie's annoyance, his grave-digger mood reassured Savenna who dodged his bad behavior by teasing and out-witting him.

On the second week of their living in the basement, the two of them discovered how to crack the locks on the windows. Ignoring Lamie's warnings, they set foot into the snow. The thrill of doing something forbidden lightened up their faces and they spent more and more time in the empty hospital park.

"You're going to catch a fever! I know you will. And once you have, I will tell mother", Lamie's high-pitched voice sounded from the window left ajar. Although her poisoning still wasn't putting her life in danger, it surely had destroyed her body. The lead made her legs stiff and heavy as wooden planks. She was as Law had described her, a fragile and whiny little girl that feared fever more than anything.

With jealousy flashing in her pale eyes, she observed the two older children playing in the snow. "You could at least close that window. I'm cold!", she moaned and pouted.

"Come down, Lamie! I bit of fresh air is good for your health", Savenna yelled back, dodging one of Law's snowballs.

" Sava is being mean again, Law. Make her close the window!" Lamie turned to her brother now, who simply shrugged. "I couldn't even if I wanted to." The next snowball caught him off guard and he stumbled into the snow under Savenna's bright laughter.

"I might throw like a girl, but you fall like one", she giggled, nearly invisible under the white trees.

Unfortunately, this time Lamie was right. They did catch a fever which spread form Law to Savenna and hopped over on the little girl who blamed them for it. For six days they were forced to stay in bed, covered under the blankets with nothing to do than argue and watch the snow fall. Every morning Mary brought them the necessary medicine and left them in Magdalena's care for the day. The governess brought them food and sweets she got from the last stores open in town and told them stories about bandits and pirates until sleep finally found them. Even though Savenna never told anyone, she was waited anxiously every morning for Magdalena to arrive, so she could make sure she hadn't left over night.

Once, however, the fever hit Lamie way beyond midnight. Law was still fast asleep, as the little girl tugged on Savenna's night-gown. The older girl groaned before reluctantly opening her eyes. "What is it?"

" Everything is spinning...I'm cold", the other girl muttered. Savenna forced herself to wake up and switch on the bedside lamp. Then she gave Lami a careful look. The little girl's glassy eyes sparkled with fever. After feeling her cheeks, Savenna pulled her blanked aside and touched the floor with her bare feet. With small steps she hushed over to Law's cot.

"Mushroom-Head, wake up", she whispered. As usually, Law slept like a stone. The dark, disarrayed hair hid the pale face which was turned to the side of the wall. Compared to his sister, the boy slept like a dead man. While Lamie turned in bed, kicking Savenna after stealing her blanket, Law barley moved once he was asleep. Like many nights before, the girl stood anxiously above him wondering weather the poison had killed him in the last hours. Carefully, she bent down until there was only a layer of hot and used air separating them. Then she held her breath and listened. A barely audible whistle revealed he was alive and the girl sighed with relief.

After the night she had collapsed on the street and after her father's dreadful last hours, Savenna was obsessed with death. She never missed an occasion to make sure he wasn't there, hiding in the dark corners of the room, yearning for another life.

"Law, wake up", she said now with her voice rising. The young doctor tried to hide his face in the pillow but then he recognized her and sat up. His dreams weren't still all worn off when he gave her a confused look. "What is it?"

"Lamie. She's having a bad night", Savenna muttered in her sleeve and pointed over toward the little girl. The sleep melted from Law's face and he was up in no time. In those nights he forgot that he was a patient and worked as if nothing had changed. While Savenna lightened up the room, he was already next to his sister. As soon as he figured out what to do, Savenna stayed with her like on many nights before as he searched the halls for medicine, water and other things that could come in handy.

"It's your turn, Sava", the little girl said after recovering from a violent cough. Her temperature was still up but the girl claimed to feel better. Law had stolen a small shot of pain killers from the main hall and seemed pleased with the result.

"Again? But I Law's story was much shorter then mine. That's not fair", Savenna grumbled, lying on her belly with the legs rocking in the air. What had been her idea to kill the time, back when none of them could leave the bed, had now become a silly tradition. Every night someone felt worse than the others, there would be stories until he fell asleep again. To be fair, it had been Savenna who had forced the others to entertain her while an aching chest had kept her awake for hours, but she had already forgotten about that.

"But it was much better than yours. Who cares about teacher's love life? She dead anyway", Law snapped back. With his face in the shadows, he had taken a seat on the window sill and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Oh, and the history of North Blue's medical herbs is simply fascinating!"

"At least it's useful", he said and shrugged. "I don't recall teacher's secret admirer saving her life." At his words Savenna rolled her eyes.

"Lamie's story about talking polar bears wasn't useful either but I enjoyed it a lot. And besides, stories don't have to be useful, Mushroom-head. That's the whole point. They don't have to be true, they just entertain, that's all."

"Your points never make any sense", he replied sulkily. Savenna sighed and rolled on her back. She didn't even had to look at him to know he was frowning. He did hardly anything else during the game. But the smell of a challenge put a smile on the girl's face. She sat up, tilted her head while giving him a mocking look and said: "Listen up, then. I'm sure none of your medicine can make a better story than this one."

Lami observed them with wide eyes and smiled as Law's head appeared in the light. His pale lips bore a challenging grin. "I'm all ears."

That night Savenna gave her best. In the hundreds of stories she had read in her life, the one she told was her favorite, for she made it up that very moment. It was the story of a pirate crew, the most gruesome the world had ever seen. A doctor, a hooded princess and a little polar bear sailed through the waters of the Grand Line further than anyone ever had. First no one could figure out how they survived the threats the waters bore, until one admiral discovered the truth. Both marines and pirated feared them for three captains knew a very special secret.

"Why is there always three of them?", Law interrupted.

Savenna rolled her eyes again. "Because it's a story, idiot! If something has to be important, there's always three of them."

"Of course, how could I've miss that..."

"What secret?", Lamie wanted to know, ignoring her brother.

"They had found a way how to run from death", Savenna said casually.

"That's overly dramatic, even for you. And how's that supposed to work, by the way?", Law asked, trying hard to look annoyed as always. This time it was Savenna who shrugged. "It's quite simple, actually", she said matter-of-factly.

"The doctor knew how to cure all illnesses in the world, so nobody died of sickness or injury. And when the time came to die from old age, the polar bear showed them how to hide under water, so deep even death couldn't find them. And once they came back to the surface, there was a last trick to play. As soon as their ship smelled the sea breeze, death was waiting for them. But then the princess stepped on deck and lifted her hood. Her beauty struck the weary and impatient death so hard he fell sick with love for her. She left him helpless with agony and drained him from his evil powers. Incapable to speak or to move, he couldn't do anything other than watch the ship sail to the horizon. And they kept on stealing and ravaging while living happily ever after."

A sudden silence filled the room. Lamie hung as usual on Savenna's lips. The older girl sat like a statue between the pillows, watching her audience with fierce, attentive eyes. Law's face has lost every expression, then suddenly he said: "That's sounds like another one of your fairy tales to me. You've just made that up, haven't you?"

Despite the thrill of her new masterpiece, it didn't take much for her serenity to crumble. "Who cares? It's a story. It doesn't matter if it really happened or not. You'll never know and that's what makes it interesting! You just have no imagination at all, that's your problem", she pressed a protest through her teeth. Law's eternal questioning and his chronic suspicion annoyed her. But what counted most was Lamie's opinion. The little girl had swallowed everything of it and forced Savenna to come up with more stories and details concerning the pirates. Dawn was already breaking when Lamie finally fell asleep and Savenna, exhausted from all the talk, crawled into Law's cot.

"What do you think you're doing?", the boy whispered with a frown. Savenna didn't bother turning around and pulled the blanked over her legs.

"Sleeping. Good night, Mushroom-Head."

"How many times should I tell you that this is my bed?", he protested. But Savenna couldn't care less. She was an only child and preferred to sleep under her own blankets. Unfortunately, she was a girl and the nurses had squished her into bed with Lamie who slept like a windmill on some waking drugs. But she didn't care with whom she had to share a sleeping place, as long as she did get some sleep at night. Therefore, she often climbed under Law's blanked. His cot was narrow but they were both short and he didn't disturb her. On some nights she even managed to kick him out of bed without him noticing. She was particularly proud of that achievement.

"This time you'll land on the floor", he mumbled grimly.

"You could go sleep next to your sister, if you want to...", she proposed, cuddling herself into the blanked. "But I'm staying here."

"We'll see about that", he hissed, pushing her aside. Savenna let it happened and closed her eyes. "And move you hair to the other side, it tickles."

"Cry me a river." Savenna was already half asleep as he managed to find a comfortable sleeping position, after fighting the loose strands of the white hair covering the entire pillow. To Savenna's misfortune, it was Law this time who tossed and turned next to her as if on purpose. As she decided to open her eyes, she saw him staring at the ceiling. Even though he looked exhausted, he seemed wide awake.

"Are you seriously waiting for me to fall asleep so you can throw me out of bed?", she asked annoyed and gave him a incredulous look.

"What?..." Law cringed slightly and kept looking away. After Lamie's feverish limbs his skin felt surprisingly cold. "No.. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Your story. It's really stupid, you know", he said almost soundlessly.

"And you surely know how to make compliments. May I ask why?" Now she was awake too, wondering what was going on with him. His strange behavior wasn't something new. Every time after one of Lamie's fever attacks, he started acting weird.

"Because it's just silly. You can't cheat death with something stupid like love. It's just a feeling, it doesn't change anything about whether or not someone dies. Nature doesn't care about such things. It just happens. Like the Amber Lead."

"If you believe some stories, a lot of people died of love", she replied and rolled herself onto her back facing the ceiling.

He snorted loudly. "Those are just stories. You make everything appear so simple. Even the poison. You simply hate it enough and it obeys."

Savenna couldn't help but smile, but it faded as soon as it had appeared.

"I never heard of love saving or curing people", he went on. "That would be just ridiculous. If that was the case, none of us would be sick any more." Suddenly she knew what that was all about. He would never have told her, but he still hadn't forgotten the promise he had made. He said he would find a cure but now it wasn't just about her any more. It was Lamie and all the people in Flevance whom he couldn't help.

"You're right. It is just a stupid thing I made up. Just forget about it and sleep", she said but he ignored her.

"That's why I hate stories. They always tell you things that will never come true. I will never be able to cure every illness in the world, no matter how hard I try. And there won't be any stupid happy ending for either or us."

Savenna froze on her side of the cot. Of course she guessed the truth behind his words, but their destiny still seemed unforeseeable to her and therefore she managed to look past it. It was he who terrified her. This wasn't at all like the squirrel incident. She wasn't disgusted or shocked. This time his voice sounded like air freezing solid. In the dark his eyes seemed suddenly as black as coal. She swallowed hard, as she felt how cool his skin had become. It was only later that she realized how much of Law's childish innocence had disappeared in the last few weeks. Like so many people, he started losing hope.

Her throat felt tight up and dry. Then she forced herself not to thing about it and said: "Happy endings are a matter of definition. While the three pirates lived happily ever after, poor death suffered a great deal. It depends from which angle you look at it, I guess."

"This is a mean game. I don't want to play anymore!", Lamie exclaimed and put on a sulky face. It took her a few days to loose the fever and now she niggled as skilfully as ever. They sat in a circle on the floor around a small package with red pills, each holding a hand of cards.

"Don't be like that. Logue Town is much more fun when the stakes are higher", Savenna replied, trying to guess the cards of her opponents with a serious look on her face.

This was the second day they spent playing cards for painkillers. As they had predicted, the hospital started running out of medical supplies. The Trafalgars had to hire watchmen to guard the emergency room entrance so the ones mad with fever wouldn't raid the storage rooms. The stationary patients like themselves, were given a ration of medicine per day so nothing would go to waste. This was horrible news. Mary had tried to grab as much as she could for the children, but even her powers were limited. Law and Savenna didn't tell Lamie but the same was true for the food. Flevance wasn't a safe place any more.

The borders had been closed a couple of days ago. None of the surrounding countries risked the chance of contagion and as the last of Flevance's authorities begged for support, none was given. They feared the poison so much, they even refused the food and water rations that had been agreed on. Even from the small room in the upper basement, the two older children sensed the restlessness in the air. People were becoming desperate. The government which they had counted on, had abandoned them and the navy was sent away. Folk started robbing shops, breaking windows and doors and even killing each other over a can of beans.

Magdalena had made sure the little box in their room under the sink contained always some bread, vegetables and dried meat. Fresh water still ran through the pipes of the building but the governess suspected that wouldn't last for long. Money had lost its value for people needed merchandise that would help them survive. For her fortune had become worthless, Savenna had given most of her beautiful dresses to Magdalena hoping she could trade them for food with the people who were trying to flee the county disguised at wealthy travelers. That had bought them a rich stock of potatoes and carrots. None of them had ever thought of hunger before, but for the girl had always thought it to be part of the dangers of a pirate life, she put up with the threat.

The docs where the ships lay at anchor since the closing of the borders like carcasses from better times, had turned into a teeming market for the sick and those who wanted to make profit on them. That's where the governess and Mary Trafalgar disappeared every morning, hoping to find provisions and things the doctors could make their own medicine with. They never came back with much but it was enough to keep the clinic running.

Savenna had watched Pablo's corpse being brought away a couple of days ago and hadn't made the effort to conceal the comfort the delayed revenge gave her. Law had scolded her several times for her nasty thoughts. She had called him names in return and then it was forgotten. No one intended spending more energy on his dead body.

"You win." Savenna crossed her arms in front of her chest after pushing the pills over to Law. "Congratu-mushroom-lations."

"Don't look so surprised. I've always been a better player", he replied with a dirty grin he saved for special occasions. "You play with too much emotion. Every child can read your face like a billboard."

"We'll see about that."

Lamie still hadn't mastered the rules of the game and was upset as usual. Even though she was annoyed about it, she tried hard to catch up with the older children and was ready to cry every time she failed. In return, Law took his share of the medicine and gave it to her. Although he won quite often, he hardly ever kept the pills for himself and waited until either Savenna or Lamie needed them more.

"You really shouldn't spoil her that much", Savenna grumbled. Now she had to wait for the next tour. Ever since the city started crumbling and the fear nipped on the people's spirits, Savenna's illness had gotten worse. Whatever changed or affected her mind in a negative way, seemed to give the poisoning another chance to make her life miserable. Now dizziness and nausea overcame her any time of the day and if the hospital weren't out of supplies, she would probably eat pills like a child sucking on candy.

"She needs medicine...as do you", Law said and sighed. On other occasions he would have given her a scowl, fight for at least an hour while calling her selfish. But on that day Savenna could read true sorrow on his features.

"I'll go down to the docs and see what I can get for the vegetables from last week", he said, while sinking into his thoughts. Immediately, Savenna objected. "That's a terrible idea. We need the food."

"We'll get that. My father has still some supplies in the cellar, for emergencies", Law said quietly. But Savenna still shook her head. The further her illness proceeded, the stubborner she got, growing anxious and superstitious over everything and nothing. The bad feeling that wore on her for several days, clouded her judgment. Lamie never interfered with their discussions for, even though she loved her brother, deep inside she still held particular fear and admiration for the girl.

"Besides, your mother won't be pleased if she sees you there. And then she'll think it was my idea", Savenna argued. But Law simply shrugged and put on his cloak. "I'll be careful."

Tucking the bag of potatoes under his arm, he headed for the window and disappeared. For some reason Savenna wanted to follow him and tear him back into the room, but on that day she felt too weak. She would never get hold of him in time.

"Why are you so angry at him?", Lami asked carefully while Savenna stared at the window with narrow eyes.

"Because he's an idiot, that's why. Nothing good comes from going to that place."

Just as the children knew that the window was the safest way out of the building for they didn't have to pass the sick lingering in the halls, they also knew that with the decline of the city, the docs had become a dangerous place. Mary had been robbed once and Magdalena had barely gotten away from a group of bandits following her up to the hospital. Savenna wouldn't shake at the only thought of it if she hadn't seen the docs herself. Sometimes even the meekest merchandise came for a high prize.

Law was gone for a half an hour when Savenna finally agreed to teach the little girl how to cheat at Louge Town Joker. Maybe Lamie was a whiny and annoying example of a child, but she shared her brother's passion for knowledge. During the time they had spent together, Savenna had taught her how to put on make-up and do her hair. Both lessons wouldn't have been possible without Law serving as a grumpy test subject. Lamie started finally to enjoy the card game, when a strange sound pierced the silence. Both girls turned their heads to the window left ajar.

It was a hollow, vibrating sound thudding at the walls and windows. It seemed to come from outside, Savenna couldn't decide if far or close. With her mouth open with surprise, Lamie tried to recognize the echo suddenly surrounding them. The girls cringed as a violent bang shook the building to the ground.

"They're doing another firework!" With childish joy in her eyes Lamie clapped her hands together. Savenna didn't move. Her white face had grown paler.

"That's no firework, Lamie. That's gunfire."

"What?"

"Gunfire. Weapons", Savenna said soundlessly. "I have seen my father's ships firing cannons once. This sounds exactly like it." Carelessly, she let the cards fall out of her hands and rushed toward the window. The chilly breeze carried the sound to her ears, letting her skin grow cold with fear. Lamie who still couldn't get out of bed alone, tilted her head toward the window.

"What is it? What is happening?", she asked, staring at Savenna with wide eyes.

"I don't know..." Slowly Savenna climbed up to the window sill and turned her head toward the sky. The clouds which had been white and gray the last time she had looked at them, shimmered like a dirty evening sky. Strange, almost bloody shades of red colored the clouds as the popping sound kept vibrating the earth.

"Something isn't right", Savenna said, thinking about the bad feeling that had followed her into her dreams. "You stay here. I go and check with the doctor. He must know more about it."

Immediately, an annoyed expression appeared on Lamie's face.

"No, I'm not staying! You two always go on adventures and I always have to stay behind. That's not fair!" The little girl's eyes filled with tears as she read the determination on Savenna's face. The older girl had no time for such none-sense. In her head all the bells were ringing.

"Would you just shut up? This isn't a game, stupid! Those are real guns going off, hurting and killing people. No way you are going anywhere with me. You would only hold me back and your brother would kill me. Now do as I say!"

"Why don't you make me?" Disappointed stubbornness flashed in the little girls eyes, attempting to let her know that Savenna wasn't the only one with a considerable temper. But the older girl couldn't care less.

"As you wish, little brat!", she snapped and seized Lami by the wrists. The little girl screamed as Savenna lifted her up and carried her to the wardrobe. Fortunately for her, Lami didn't weigh more than a heavy set of bed linen and with her motionless legs she was rather helpless. Breathing hard, Savenna pushed her inside the wardrobe and slammed the doors shut. "That should do...", she said to herself and grabbed her cloak. Suddenly, her leak of strength appeared like nothing.

Her thoughts were racing as she finally entered the hallway. Law was still out there. Whoever had opened the fire would hardly stop at a little boy covered in white marks. Sudden panic ran through her veins at the thought of him getting hurt. They didn't share whatever wonder protected her body from dying. If he got hurt, there would be nothing she could do, even if she would find him in time. Therefore she kept to her plan and turned into the corridor leading toward Trafalgar's office.

But the task wasn't as easy as she had imagined. It had really been a long time since she had left the their room by the squeaking door. Now she finally understood why Mary locked it at night, keeping the key tight under her clothes. The air that filled the hallways was stale and reeked of piercing sickness. Savenna coughed violently as she saw the numerous bodies crooked against the walls. They seemed to be waiting, for what Savenna didn't know. Carefully she stepped over a elderly man lying on the floor rolled up into a awkward childlike position. The smell of unwashed bodies stuck to the walls, making the air almost to heavy to breath. They were lined up like kids waiting for a ride on a roller-coaster, but muttering none-sense and watching the girl with passive suffering. Savenna did her best to get past them. A woman got hold of her dress but the girl didn't have time for mercy. She freed herself violently and hurried on. The sweaty hands that reached out for her she pushed aside and pressed herself through the slowly dying crowd. Once she arrived at Trafalgar's door, she saw two tall mercenaries guarding his cabinet. With a racing heart she approached them.

"I need to speak to the doctor", she said firmly, but none of them seemed to notice her. Their piercing, dull eyes were directed on the sick as if they were waiting for them to smash in the door. But Savenna's impatience didn't wait for manifesting itself.

"I said, I need to speak to Dr. Trafalgar, you incompetent peasants!", she repeated as calmly as her rising temper permitted. Finally the first guard lowered his gaze and met her cold eyes. "You have'n appointment?"

"Do I look like I need an appointment?"

"No appointment, no audition. That's the rules", he said briskly, lowering his rifle so it was on the level of her eyes. Savenna's face darkened. "Don't you know who I am? My family has at least three times as much money as Gold Roger. If you don't let me through right know, you will regret...- " She was ready to go on until threatening their lives, but the force of an explosion ripped her off her feet. The two men could barely hold their stand as the ground shook underneath their feet. Dizzy, the girl pressed her hand on her ears as a thunder of bullets replied to the deafening blast. Just as she tried to figured out the distance between them and the horrible noise, the door of the cabinet opened from the inside. Breathing hard in shock, the doctor stared at her with reddened eyes and shaking hands.

"Savenna! What in God's name are you doing here? You should be in the basement with the others. Quick, go and hide!", he snuffled. But fear had seized the girl and she jumped back on her feet. Faster than the doctor could stop her, she got hold of his shirt and pushed him back into the room before slamming the door shut. First, the doctor didn't even try to free himself and stumbled backward, darting her with startled eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere! What is going on, doctor? You have to tell me! There are people in danger. Law and Magdalena left for the docs and aren't back yet!", she insisted. Meanwhile the mercenaries pounded again the door from the outside but Savenna had locked it in time.

Trafalgar was in a worse shape than she could recall. By the only mention of Law's name, the doctor's cheeks went pale. She could see the struggle within him. The fear flashed behind his eyes for a short time, but resignation vanquished it before his body could respond. The sigh he gave reminded her of the patients waiting in the hallway for a salvation that wouldn't come.

"Why do you even want to know, girl? Trust me, it's easier if you don't", he said, slouching into his chair. Savenna was ready to send him to the devil but then she looked around.

Dr. Trafalgar's cabinet had been the tidiest place she knew, maybe even the tidiest room in town. Like in Law's backpack, every pencil had a special space where it waited to be used. But the picture she saw in that moment had very little in common with the cabinet she had entered before. The room was a mess. Paper files were piled up so high, they locked out the sun light. The cot on which he usually examined his patients, had turned into a chaotic laboratory where blood samples were stocked in tubes. She was too far away to be able to judge in what mood he was in, but she assumed it to be the worst. If she guessed that Law had been losing hope, she recognized pure despair on the father's face.

"What does that mean?", she asked carefully, approaching him with considerate steps. He gave a listless laugh and looked at her with the eyes of a mad man. " It means it's over, Savenna. We've fought and we've lost. You might not have noticed it but after the borders closed, the citizens who were still strong enough took up arms and tried to fight their way out of the quarantine. Flevance's weapon industry had been of considerable size, the factory's storage rooms were still full with Amber Lead bullets since the trade had stopped. There was nothing that could keep them from fighting. And today our neighbors started fighting back."

Savenna stiffened. The fingers she had clenched into fists relaxed all of a sudden. That was what the explosion had been. A foreign army was attacking Flevance.

"But why? They could have just stopped the resistance at the borders. Why the hell are they bombing the city?", she asked passionately. The doctor shrugged.

"The resistance was only a pretense to invade the country. The foreign governments tremble by the only thought of Amber Lead and would do anything to see it dead with the people who carry it. And even if we had enough bullets to defend ourselves, we don't have enough men. " He stopped for a while and emerged into his thoughts. " The city will fall at dusk, probably sooner", he said quietly, looking outside of the window.

"What are you saying? You are crazy!", she meant to yell but her voice flipped over.

"Go outside and see for yourself." The conviction in his words made her finally believe the truth. By Roger's immortal soul, she wasn't ready for this!

"Then let this damn city fall!", she said after regaining her wits. "Who cares as long as we don't go under with it! We have to find Law and Magdalena and get out of here as soon as possible!" She realized that she was screaming, but it didn't affect Trafalgar.

"Haven't you been listening? There's no way out! We're trapped. There is nowhere we can run. If the fire won't get us, Amber Lead will, that's for sure."

Savenna couldn't help the chill running down her spine. She felt her breath fade and fought the black dots entering her vision. "Don't you dare talk of this. You're a doctor and a father, you should be out there searching your son just as you've searched for the cure."

"The cure", he said and laughed a terrible laugh. "You silly child, there is no cure and there never will be one." At the bewilderment on Savenna's face, his amusement faded. "I've known it for a while now, but there was no sense in telling you. We can't get the poison out of a human body that was born and raised while being exposed to the metal. It causes a genetic failure that devours the patients from inside. The fever you have is your body fighting itself. The only way to heal you would be cutting you in pieces and putting you back together after removing the lead, but that isn't possible I'm afraid. There's no use waiting for wonders for I can assure you that science won't provide it. We all should have known better and never have dug up this horror in the first place", he spat. "You've already survived for too long, Savenna, I don't know how you managed it, but you can't run any longer. And neither can Law."

He expected her to shake, fall or at least cry like the child she was, for the solid conviction in his voice could have brought a grown-up man down. But Savenna stood in front of him like a rock filled with gunpowder. "Watch us then, you bastard!"

Her skirt made a large circle as she turned around and headed for the door. The mercenaries back away as the door opened and the girl stormed outside. They waited for the doctor's orders but the cabinet stayed silent, so they let her leave gladly.

Savenna hardly remembered how she got out of the building. Her thoughts were spinning as she ran down the driveway as if chased by a pack of hungry dogs. She gave her best to dismiss Trafalgar's words, but as soon she turned around the first corner, all her efforts failed. They city had fallen into chaos. People with faces sprinkled with white marks had formed a monstrous crowd that pushed, yelled and cursed while slowly fighting its way toward the waterfront. Like a large, dangerous animal it crushed everything that crossed its path. Citizens had turned into refugees, carrying their various belongings on their backs and shoulders. Men fought and children cried while their steps were hushed by the dirty snow covering the cobblestones.

But it wasn't the crowd Savenna feared. It was the sound, hollow and vibrant, that was coming closer. She could hear the bombs falling on the roofs of the suburbs. The burning Amber Lead sent ash clouds high up in the sky. The city was burning from the outside. Every time the guns went off, she pressed the hands on both of her ears and squeezed her eyes shut.

How she was supposed to find Law among all this horrors, she didn't know. But no matter what, she had to before the fire reached the town houses. What ever her plan would be, she wouldn't leave without him or her governess. Almost desperate, she tried to think of a quicker way to the docs than the main road which led to the harbor, for going with the crowd was not an option. She would never be there in time. Therefore she put up the hood of her stolen, white cloak and turned into an abandoned back road. Ignoring the throbbing pain in her temples and the heating blood underneath her skin, she started running.

Just before turning around another corner, she sensed that something was wrong. She felt the steps behind her before she could hear them. In a heart beat she turned around. A strong but familiar shape had appeared behind her in the alley. The man's hair and clothes were in disarray. He was breathing hard and sweat covered the features she had seen many times before.

"Dominick? What on earth are you doing here?", she wondered, eyeing the man from head to toe. "Have you been following me?"

The servant who like Magdalena had worked for her family for many years, was one of the least she would have expected to meet on that day. As always he tried to stick to his manners and made a slight bow as his eyes met Savenna's. First, the girl drew back at the pale skin that covered the left half of his face, but then she figured that he might as well feel the same way toward her. He presence wasn't nearly as reassuring as Magdalena's, for she had barley ever talked to him. He had always been her parent's servant and never interfered with her affairs. That's why she was even more surprised by seeing him standing there.

"As a matter of fact, I have", he said with an apologetic look. If he was afraid of the explosions echoing in the distance, he didn't let it show.

"And why if I may ask? This isn't the time..."

"It's your mother", he answered. Savenna frowned at the interruption. Truth be told, her mother's condition hadn't bothered her much these last hours, but now sorrow crept over her features. "What is it about mother, Dominick?"

"She's dying, Miss", he said and seemed to regret his words at the same time. "That's why she sent for you. I'm sorry, Miss Savenna. I've searched everywhere for you, but the nurses told me that you've left the hospital..."

"I don't understand, I barely left a half an hour ago... and she wasn't even sick, not as I recall at least." Dominick watched her carefully as she tried to make sense of what he had just said. Then he straightened his back and the usual sober expression returned to him. "I have to ask you to accompany me. It's the mistresses orders."

"If the matter is this urgent, she might be dead already, you know."

He shrugged in return. "I take my orders very seriously, Miss."

Savenna sighed. Of course he did. Suddenly a bad feeling overcame her, the same that had tortured her before the resistance had started the fire. But she decided to stay silent. It was the second time that day that she was desperate, not knowing what to do. "I would love nothing more than to help you, but I was on my way to search for Magdalena and a friend of mine down at the docs. They left a long time ago and didn't come back", she said with rising uncertainty. Dominick's face stayed unreadable.

"It might be that they're already back and you simply missed them."

"It might...", she said absently. Something about him seemed particularly off that day. Even though she sensed that he wasn't telling her the whole truth, she decided to give in. She couldn't have outrun him even if she wanted to. And the chanced for finding Law among all the refugees were more than simply little. And maybe Dominick was right, she might see him once she returned to the hospital, take him and his mushroom-hat and run as fast as she could. So she tightened the cloak around her shoulders and followed the man back into what was left of civilization.

More or less easily, they arrived at the central crossroads of the city. The bad feeling that hadn't ceased torturing her mind, had gotten worse with each corner they passed. Dominick's face stayed strangely straight along the way, while he seemed eager to avoid every type of conversation. A guilty conscience started nipping on Savenna. What if she had made the wrong decision? If her mother was truly sick, if she were dying like the servant had claimed, there was nothing she could do. Even though she didn't doubt her mother being helpless enough to ask her to stay by her side, but Savenna wasn't sure if she could live through her father's death a second time. However, the only thought of her friends being in trouble made her sick. Suddenly she remembered that she left to help and decided that she wouldn't return without trying.

But as quickly as she had changed her mind, they already turned into a wide lane leading back to the hospital. She gave the building one last bitter glance and then stopped.

"Dominick, I'm sorry but I can't...", she started, but froze all of a sudden. The servant didn't listen. Instead he grabbed her hand with unusual violence and pulled her away from the hospital.

"What the hell... What are you doing? Let go of me!", she gasped, trying to free herself. But Dominick's grip was too firm for a little girl to break. With true fear returning to her eyes, she noticed him pulling her in a different direction. "Where are you going?"

Again he didn't bother answering and kept on marching. His cold fingers felt like glued to her wrist, his fingernails scratching her skin. Shadows had crept on his smooth face, covering his eyes and forehead. She fought and tried to drag him back, she tore his clothes and bit his arm but it was useless. If his behavior had appeared strange before, Savenna thought him a completely different person, obviously fallen into a dangerous kind of madness.

"What is wrong with you, you ..." Savenna thought of an appropriate insult, but was cut off by what she saw. The high trees and round cobblestones that appeared at the end of the street stroke her with familiarity. She recognized the square they crossed for she had done in many times before.

"Home, that's where you're taking me...", she muttered, not entirely sure what that was supposed to mean. Now that she understood the servant's intentions she fell quiet and let herself be dragged along. She knew the house better than any place in the world. If once he left her out of sight, she would be gone in no time. She would crawl through the garbage exists if she had to.

The black, iron gate had been locked with a heavy chain that took Dominick several minutes to undo. The same listless way, he led her through the vast gardens that, for the first time in years, looked abandoned and forlorn. Lonely blades of grass had made their way between the white stones of the driveway. However, Savenna didn't have the time to think about the degeneration of the house she had been born in. She followed her pursuer up to the porch. He unlocked the door and insisted on her going inside. Despite the rising gentleness of his voice, she obeyed with a heavy heart. Only once they entered the hall, he finally let go of her.

"Now in God's name Dominick, what is the point of this? Why didn't you bring me back to the hospital, you crazy bastard?"

Despite his former determination, the servant's lips trembled at the sound of Savenna's enraged words. "It's like I said. Your mother is dying. She's upstairs and wished to see you, Miss", he replied, pretending to maintain a neutral timbre.

"Upstairs?", the girl asked incredulously and frowned. The last time she had seen her mother, her skin had been as flushed as ever but her mind had been leaking sense like air in the compartments of a sinking ship. Whatever the true reason was she had been brought back to the empty house where dust had already settled and the servants had left in a hurry, Dominick refused to tell her.

With growing uneasiness, she looked over to the large staircase on which she had run up and down so many times before, and stiffened. The trembling ground under Flevance had swayed the pictures off the walls. Broken glass lay next to clothes and shoes the maid had left behind. The candles on the candelabra had burned down and yellow wax had dropped on her father's favorite carpet he had brought from the south. Even though the walls were still standing, the house felt like a ruin of passed days.

Then, she headed to the stairs not looking back where her former servant was standing. The old squeaking sound of the steps restored her confidence which faded suddenly at the sight of the second floor. All the doors were closed, putting the corridor in a en eerie twilight. She could see the dust rising from the carpet as she stepped into the shadows. The air felt cold and heavy, spiced with the scent of dying plants. Savenna stopped breathing as she moved toward the room at the end of the hall. It was the only door left ajar and the source of a blue light.

The silence she heard engulfed the distant guns, leaving her with the sound of her own heart.

Finally she entered the wide doorway and froze. Her parent's bedroom seemed to be the only place of the house that hadn't changed. The bed was freshly covered in shiny linen, new candles enlightened the white walls and the smell of her father's aftershave still hung in the air.

On the bed, dressed in a night-gown of silvery silk, lay her mother. Her long, wavy hair was undone and spread from her delicate shoulders over the pillow. The flames played on her rosy cheeks and with her eyes closed, she seemed to be sleeping. Never had Savenna thought her mother more beautiful than on that day. She contemplated her with anger and rising jealously, forgetting why she was even there.

As she made a step inside, her mother's eyes flung open. She gave her a dewy look and smiled with the corner of the mouth.

"Finally. I've already thought I'd lost you in that awful hospital", she said gently. Her voice rose barely over a whisper. Savenna gathered her wits and shook her head. The scene in front of her eyes, refused to make sense. "I suppose I don't have to ask you if you've lost your mind. Dominick kidnapped me for he was convinced you were dying. But you look very much alive to me. What is going on, mother?"

Her mother sighed and lazy like a lioness resting during midday, she sat up and swung her long legs out of bed. She watched her daughter with an expression of pride and melancholy, Savenna had never seen before. Like a ghost she swayed toward her, with long, elegant steps revealing her naked legs. She was spotless, there was not a single mark of Amber Lead on her skin. Throughout her confusion however, Savenna missed the object her mother was hiding behind her back.

"No, he was right. I am dying, not as slowly as your father were, but soon I will be dead", she said thoughtfully, tilting her head to the side. "And I am so glad you are here. It's important you know how much I love you. I always though you were going to do better than I have. Be the most perfect version of me, smart, pretty and powerful. I am so sorry there is just so little time...", she said with straight sincerity.

"What the hell do you mean...?" But before Savenna could understand, her mother reached out and stung a needle deep into her arm. Horrified the girl backed away, staring at the shot poking out of her skin. It was a large dose of a substance, the one that Law used when he happened to cut people open. Her mother had managed to inject most of the cylinder and Savenna felt her hand shaking. She didn't have to do the maths to know that this was more than enough to put her to sleep. She shrieked as it finally dawned on her.

"Language, Savenna. How many time do I have to tell you? A lady should always keep that in mind", her mother said quietly, while tears were rising in her eyes.

"What did you do?", the girl pressed out in terror. "What on earth did you do?" She wanted to cry out but her body stiffened with shock.

"I'm so sorry, Savenna", her mother muttered and swiped away her tears. "But it was the only thing I could do. It's the easiest way. Your father was in so much pain, I couldn't let that happen to you."

"How could you? I was able to fight the poison on my own, but now there is no chance! You are completely insane! You have no idea what you've done!", Savenna cried but her mother shook her head silently. Then she showed her the tiny drop of dried blood on her upper arm and the empty shot laying on her bedside table. "I've done it on myself already. It won't take long, don't worry. But I can go and search one of your best dresses, if you want."

"Stop, just stop..." Savenna tried not to sob, but the certainty of her own death numbed her with fear.

"It's fine, honey." As her mother came closer the girl fled on the other side of the room. "It's for the best. And even if you survive the poison, there is no way out", she said and pointed toward the window where Savenna could see the first burning roofs of the city. Then she went on: "No matter what you do today, tomorrow they will have you shot or burned to death. I tried to book a passage out of the city but the neighbor's armies had set fire to she last ships in the harbor. They won't let anyone escape. And by all means, this is not the end I wanted for us. Guns and fire are not a suitable death for a women. We have to go gently, without pain or horror. And if we stay beautiful death will carry us away softly so we won't even notice the finish line when we cross it."

Terror was written all over Savenna's face as her mother had finished her speech. Everything around her was wrapped in a cocoon of white fog, turning and spinning inside her head. All of her resisted her mother's words.

Death wasn't a gentle knight, pulling them in his arms and carrying them to the next world. If she had to paint him in her mind, he would have been a cruel, hideous old man, torturing everyone he passed by. She had seen him enough to be sure of that. The only sight of her mother filled her with disgust. Never had she despised someone's weakness more than at that moment.

The rage her mother had never understood, stirred up in the girl's stomach. Despite the rising feeling of paralysis in her arm, she walked backward until her back touched the wall.

"You can cross it all by yourself, you monster! I won't stay here and hold your damn hand. You're no mother to me anymore", she spat, arming herself with a dusty candelabra. The woman in the night-gown had turned into a terrifying stranger, not much different from Dominick. She didn't have to time to comprehend or excuse their insanity. Her plan hadn't changed, she still had to find Law and Magdalena. One of them would know what to do. Therefore, she turned around and headed for the door, persuaded to leave her mother to her destiny. But as she intended to cross the threshold, she dumped into another servant whose name she had already forgotten. With a shady expression on his face, he pushed her back into the room. Dominick followed him and that was when Savenna realizes that she was trapped.

Breathing hard, she turned in circles trying to find another way out.

"Silly child. I thought I had taught you better", her mother said with a hint of annoyance. "This is not the moment to make a scene. You always had your father's ill temper, but whatever trick you think of right now, there is no way I'll let you go out there again."

Watching Savenna struggle the servants came closer. Obviously the mistress of the house had warned them about the girl's reluctance and given her orders in advance. One of them tried to take hold of her arm while the other barricaded the door.

Savenna felt how the fever started boiling her blood. Her fingertips felt cold and her throat dry. She remembered that feeling from long ago, as the anger in her chest had turned into agony. With all the means she had left, she tried to keep control over her body but the rage took over sooner than she could have known. Her lips distorted into a terrifying grimace. The orange flame of the candles was bright enough to light up her features that had darkened within seconds. Her heart beat was the only thing left for her to feel. Savenna's will to survive made her fingers clench into solid fists and smash the candelabra on the head of her kidnapper.

"You will pay for this. All of you!", she pressed through her teeth. Then without noticing she did it again. A ghastly, invisible force took possession of her body and pulled Dominick out of the way. His screams echoed in her head as his head shattered on the floor. They crumbled one after the other like puppets with their strings cut off. She felt how the air got sucked out of their lungs and how useless their fighting was. Even though it terrified her, she sensed how her anger turned into solid control.

It was gone as quickly as it had come. Just like under the fireworks, her vision started to fade. She felt the strength slipping out of her body and tumbled backward. The hard wood of the wardrobe dug into her back as she fell against it. A pair of unsteady hands grabbed hold of her before she collapsed.

"Savenna, can you hear me?" The sound of a familiar voice got through to her even though she couldn't understand more of what it was saying. Someone shook her gently, then violently before, at a pain of a slap in the face, she opened her eyes. The shape of a giant mushroom entering her field of vision, made her regain her spirits.

"Law! For Roger's sake, I was...", she started out, but her voice failed her. Large, gray eyes darted in her direction, examining her from head to toe. He said something she couldn't hear and his faced turned blank with fear. Then he pressed a liquid to her lips that was supposed to be water. Savenna took a mouthful and nearly choked.

"...you want to kill me?", she muttered and coughed.

"Of course not! Now breath, slowly." Then Law touched her forehead and his eyes narrowed. "You're fever's back. What the hell happened?" She had no idea when he had come in and how much time had gone by. Holding on to his arm, she managed to pull herself up and only then she had a chance to look at him properly. Parts of his cloak were torn, his cheek was bleeding and the hands that held her were still trembling. But that didn't matter. She didn't care in what trouble he had gotten himself into, knowing him alive was enough for her.

"I don't know... I should still be out but I'm not", she said finally. "It was the same as with Pablo. I couldn't control myself and it just happened. My mother...I was furious and scared and then they simply lost consciousness."

Law gave her a hard look. Suddenly his voice sounded rough. "I think it's more than that", he said dryly.

"What do you mean?"

"I found them like this after I heard you screaming." He swallowed hard and pointed in the direction he had come from. Savenna made a step forward. As her gaze scanned the room, she cringed violently. Her mother was laying on the floor, her body twisted awkwardly and her hollow eyes staring at her daughter.

"No, that's impossible...", she whispered letting her eyes wander toward Dominick and the other servant. None of them was moving while Dominick's blood was smeared over the carpet. "I...I killed them!"

With a surprisingly calm pace, Law went over to her mother's body and put a hand on her neck searching for the pulse. He nodded silently. Hot tears rose in Savenna's eyes as he made the same discovery examining the other bodies. Her knees threatened to bend under the weight of her shock but Law's sudden piercing glance struck her.

"This is a highly dangerous substance", he said as he picked up the empty shot from her mother's bedside table. "Nonce of it should be used without a doctor's orders. Where the hell she get it and where is the rest of it?" Only then he noticed the other empty cylinder laying to the girl's feet. His expression went blank.

Pressing her lips together Savenna pointed at her shoulder.

"All of it?"

She nodded almost senselessly.

"Come with me. Now!"

She didn't have any force left to object. Helplessly she stumbled down the stairs, while Law's finger clinched violently to her arm, dragging her back up and pulling her forward with determination.

Savenna sat still like a statue while he took the kitchen to pieces. Despite her state of apathy, she couldn't help but notice the fury he was in. Since she had known him she had never seen him that close to madness. Even when Lamie was diagnosed with Amber Lead poisoning, Law had managed to hold up parts of his usual composure. Now he didn't bother talking to her while plates, pots and glasses flew across the room. His wide eyes lit with rage, he combed through the shelves cursing heavily. As he had finally managed to bring her downstairs, she had told him about what had happened after he had left the hospital. However, due to shock or overdoses, hardly anything logical came passed her lips. But it had been enough for him.

"What are you searching for?", she made herself ask. The memory of murdering three people was a heavy weight to carry and Savenna doubted that she would ever be able to put it down. Although she was perfectly conscious of her mother's attempt on her life she would have never wanted to hurt her. Not seriously and irretrievably. She knew that she didn't have a choice but she would have given almost everything to have had one.

Law's grim voice brought her back among the living. "Like most of the chemically produced substances this one too has an antidote. I just need some things that of course I cannot find, damn it! I always hated this stupid house!"

"You've been here once."

"Who cares? I still can't stand the chaos in your drawers." That she had hardly ever opened one of those herself didn't occur to him. He kept on searching and Savenna gave her best to concentrate. Whatever she had done to her victims had drawn almost all of her strength out of her body, but that wasn't the only thing that worried her. Since she had found a place at the kitchen table, her arms had turned numb. She couldn't feel the cloak touching her shoulders or the breeze coming from the open window. Her mother's poison worked at lot faster than the Amber Lead. At least she hadn't fainted this time while letting her anger operate beyond all rational explanations.

She sighed. "Just tell me...", she started out but before she could finish everything turned black. Then she heard a bang and figured that her head must have hit the table.

Again she found Law shaking her as she regained consciousness. "Stay awake, idiot! Once you're out I won't know how much time you have left until it rises to the heart." His voices sounded harsher than before. Then their eyes met and Savenna shivered. His soft features had transformed into a gruesome mask. "You've survived Amber Lead poisoning and you won't dare dying of a stupid overdose! You hear me?"

Savenna nodded mechanically. "Tell me what you need."

Dryly he made a list of solutions he required for deluding the drug in her blood. Savenna gave her best to guide him through the house and could hardly hear his steps once he returned with a armful of supplies. Through a haze of noise and dust she tried to watch him but fainted with exhaustion.

Then a stinging pain almost made her jump.

"What...? Au! ", she gasped breathing heavily.

"Don't move!"

"Am I dead?" Her head was spinning so hard she thought she should consider the option.

"You will be if you keep twitching like that", Law growled with annoyance and grabbed her by the shoulder. She was laying across the table with her arms spread while his face was hovering above her. Slowly she lifted her head and found him kneeling on the table and holding up a bottle with its neck cut off. A line of straws her mother had used for serving cocktails connected it to Savenna's arm where it dove under her skin like a splinter.

"Are you filling me up with strawberry juice?" She frowned looking at the brutalized bottle. But Law only rolled his eyes. "It's called an infusion. I needed something that could contain the solution so it could flow down the straws and into your blood. I didn't have a better idea."

"I should have gone to medical school..." She hoped to see a smile on his face but there was none. Instead he said: "Another ten minutes and you'll be fine. It doesn't mean you'll feel fine, but it will do until we're back in the hospital."

Savenna watched him through the veil of the drug still circulating in her body. A sad, senseless smile crossed her face. Just as Law wanted to yell at her again, she said: "So you _are_ a doctor that can cure all diseases. Maybe there is a happy ending for us after all."

There were no noises in the house, not a squeak of the old wooden staircase or a tree branch scraping on the window. The house were Law had attended the most fashionable party of his yet short life was itself dead and forlorn. With no expression on his face, he entered the spacious hall through a wide corridor. His steps echoed at the walls which isolated him from the looming catastrophe outside.

He felt sicker than he admitted to himself. What had happened under this roof went beyond his imagination. It was a house full of corpses and if he had been there in time there would have been one more. The chances had been high for he had never performed a medical procedure under such bad circumstances. He had never performed it before, that is. His knowledge was based only on a few pages he had read a year ago. If Savenna hadn't responded as well to the treatment as he had hoped, he would have puked all over the kitchen. He was lucky Savenna had spared him the details of her encounter with his father, what he had seen was enough to haunt his dreams. He swallowed hard and forced his mind back into focus.

The broken pictures on the floor caught his attention and he started climbing the stairs. Cautiously, he bent down and picked up an old photograph behind a silvered glass. It was a picture of a young Magdalena playing with a laughing child dressed in heavy garments. Effortlessly he recognized Savenna. She couldn't have been older than four when the picture was taken. There was the same spoiled, wild expression on her face as she tried to pull her governess' hair.

His lips twitched in one corner of his mouth. Then hurried steps entered the hall and he turned around. Savenna stood at the bottom of the stairs watching him. Damp and dizzy eyes met his as she put the white cloak back on her shoulders. It had suffered some damage and a few drops of blood but she didn't seem to care.

"Isn't there something you want to take with you?", he asked. There was no suitcase, not even a bag waiting next to her. Savenna's face was cold and he could tell that her mother's poison was still wearing off.

"No, not from here. I hope I'll never see this place again. If we had time I would strike a match and burn it down myself", she said sharply. He nodded silently and as she walked toward the front door, he slid his fingers under the broken glass and freed the photograph from its frame. After slipping it into his pocket, he followed her.

More snow had fallen onto the driveway where the coaches stood abandoned waiting for rust to take them a part. Savenna propped herself on Law's arm while they made their way back to the iron gate.

"How did you find me, anyway?", she finally wanted to know. It was the first thing she had asked herself as he tore her out of her dead parents bedroom, but in the heat of the following events she had eventually forgotten about the detail.

Law shrugged. "I returned to the hospital and you were gone. Lamie told me you went off searching for me and I would have ran off to the docs again if one of the nurses hadn't noticed that your mother was gone. I guessed there was little chance that she could have taken you with her but I had to be sure and made a detour to your house. It was a good idea to put Lamie in the closet by the way. At least, no one will find her there."

"And again I'm in debt to your large brain", she said pretending to laugh. Then she seemed to remember something and frowned. "But I saw how Dominick locked the front door. How did you manage to get inside?"

"I broke in through the back door. Broke the glass, turned the doorknob from the inside and all."

"Seriously? You now break into places? I'm impressed. Next time we'll meet, you'll have become be a real criminal", she said. Then the events of the last hours came back to her. They walked silently next to each other but Savenna's thoughts were racing inside her mind which was less foggy than before but still not completely recovered. After Pablo's death she had forgotten what had happened on that street after the festival. She couldn't explain it so she hadn't bothered thinking about it. But now it was different. People didn't just fall asleep under her rage, they had died. Her mother was dead because of her. Despite the spoiled, arrogant girl Savenna had grown up to be, her anger had never truly been as serious to kill for.

That was the moment she realized how much she had lost. Only several months ago, everything a girl could have ever wanted, had been hers. But now, there was hardly anything left of the life she had been used to and from which she had expected so many wonders. Her family gone and every pleasant memory she had of her mother, was constantly fading. But before the feeling of fear and abandonment could take over, her mind played its usual trick to keep her from going insane.

Secretly she looked over to Law, the only bridge to her old life which hadn't burned yet. He had regained parts of his usual calm. The Amber Lead started creeping over his neck which must have been painful but Law didn't let anything show. Instead she could feel him worrying for her, Lamie and his parents. The family he would never harm. Disgust for herself rose in her and got mingled up with the fear of her body that fought with means she couldn't control. Then she couldn't fight the tears anymore and turned away from Law, sobbing silently.

"What is it...are you feeling sick again?", he wanted to know but didn't dare approaching her. Like always, his bossy and angry attitude had settled once he knew she would survive. Now he had transformed back into Mushroom-Head trembling for the only friend he had.

"No that's not it... Law?"

"Yes?"

She looked devastated as she faced him again. "Are you afraid of me? It's okay if you were. Because I am, you know. I'm so sorry what I said about the squirrel back then, you were just trying to help and I was an idiot. You killed squirrels and I...I killed my mother." She cried so hard, her faces seemed to fall a part. "I'm so sorry! It was an accident! I didn't mean it, I swear!"

This was more emotion than the boy was able to handle. He simply stood there, staring at her completely uncertain what to do or what to say. Although Savenna could easily match his height, she shrunk in front of him giving him the look of a beaten dog. Law's eyes widened as he stared back at her speechlessly.

"I'll make everything right again. Please, please don't hate me!", she begged with a tiny voice. Despite the gentleness she longed for, Law's face stayed blank. Then an angry frown appeared on his features and Savenna's hopes faded. His feverish eyes narrowed while he gritted his teeth. "Hate you? Are you saying that I'm stupid? Next time your saving your stupid life all by yourself!"

"What... No!"

"I've entered medical school at the age of six and you think I can't make the difference between murder and self-defense? I went nuts back there while your upper light was going out!" Now he was yelling, kneading his furry hat between his fingers. Then he gave her an annoyed look and his eyes grew sad. "I've been upstairs. I've seen what your mother had done. But I also know that it wasn't you who killed her."

Savenna shot him a puzzled glance.

Law sighed. "That day Pablo attacked us, your anger or whatever it was simply weakened him. And I guess that wasn't any different from what happened today."

"But why...why did they die?"

Law shrugged. "They had already taken their shots. It was only a matter of time. And whatever you did, weakened the little that was left of their will to survive. You gave them a quick way out and saved your skin. Besides, this crazy rage of yours has saved us once before and as long as it keeps you out of trouble, it's fine with me."

"Thank you..."

That was enough for her to hear. She felt so revealed that she wanted to swing her arms around him, but she miscalculated the steadiness of her legs and landed with the face in the snow. Law couldn't help but giggle but Savenna was too troubled to feel embarrassed. Quickly, he pulled her up again and they were on their way again. Meanwhile Law's thoughts were preoccupied with how quickly Savenna had again recovered from a relatively serious condition. He had read about patients who took days to recuperate after such heavy drug abuse, but Savenna's limpid face seemed to regain color already. He didn't know if she was truly as healthy as he thought or if she was simply crazy enough not to crumble under the horrors she had witnessed.

"Law?" The sudden question pulled him out of his troubling thoughts.

"Do you have any news from Magdalena?"

The boy hesitated. "I saw her at the way back from the docs. We've fought our way through the crowd. I only hope she got back safe...",  
Suddenly, a heavy thunder interrupted him. Thr ground shook under their feet as a falsh of white lightening crossed the sky.  
Law and Savenna turned to each other, panic rising to their faces. Then she stared to the sky, shivering.

"I think the army has crossed the city borders...", Law said soundlessly. Then he reached for Savenna's arm and started running.


	8. The Ghosts of Flevance

Hey there! I'm back with a new chapter, the last one about Law's and Savenna's life back in Flevance.

To all the people who took the time to read and review this story, you are the best! I am so grateful for your support and wouldn't be able to update so quickly if it weren't for you! :-D

To TheTwilitNight: Wow... I almost cried when I read your review. I don't even know what to say... Thank you sooo much for giving the story so much thought. Your words are super constructive and gave me a lot of motivation. I'll do my best to keep the story going!

To the Guest with the long review: Thanks a lot for your suggestions and observations, they were very helpful! I corrected the things you've mentioned right away! And don't hesitate to tell me if you find something else. Haha not at all, I'm looking forward to LawxSavenna when they are older as well XD

To Apple Bloom: Thank you so much for sticking with me from the beginning! ;-)

To lunakins13: Thank you so much for your reviews! I'm truly glad you like this story and I so hope you won't be disappointed with how it's going to continue. Either way, I'll try to do my best to keep it interesting!

* * *

"By Roger's immortal soul..." Once they had reached the center, Savenna's feet were glued to the ground. Law's eyes widened. Even though they hadn't spent more than an hour in Savenna's house, the face of the city had changed dramatically. Blazing fire thongs reached out of the broken windows and sent a tour of black smoke toward the winter sky. The flames jumped from one building to the next, chasing people out of their homes. The central street was teeming with screaming folk, not even halfway dressed for the cold weather, trying to save whatever they could.

"I don't think you'll need those matches for your house", Law muttered. Alarmed he grabbed the girl's hand and they dove into the crowd. Savenna could feel the fever rising under his skin while she could hardy keep up with his pace. Heavily breathing she followed him, as he threaded his way through the masses. This might have been the worst moment to be sick but none of them could afford thinking about their worsening condition. Law's eyes clung to the hospital, the large building at the end of the street. Savenna could see smoke coming out of the south wing at the same time as the crowd that had gathered in front of it was drawn apart. Something had happened while they were away. But how bad truly it was, Savenna could hardly guess.

"Law! Wait!" A voice managed to drown out the noises around them. He stopped immediately and Savenna gasped for air. Then Law turned into the direction the high-pitched voice had come from. The girl was as startled as he was when she looked into her headmistress' face. A group of terrified looking children had gathered around her, some clinging to her coat and others weeping silently. Savenna hardly recognized any of them. The terror of the last hours had turned the faces of her former bullies into masks of shock and helplessness.

"And Savenna! You can't tell how glad I am to see you", the headmistress, a small and fragile looking woman, sighed. "There is a ship in the harbor that agreed to take on children and bring them safely past the enemy cannons. But we have to hurry. The captain won't wait!"

There was hardly any time for explanations. As Savenna's eyes scanned the little group she realized that it wasn't even an entire class, not to speak of the parents and families the children had lost or left behind. That was the last hint she needed to understand that quarantine had turned into a war zone.

"Law? Are you coming?", the woman insisted but he shook his head with determination. "I'm staying." Before he said something else his eyes wandered over to Savenna. It took her a while to notice what he was suggesting. But instead of joining the group like she would have done a month ago, she took his hand with her eyes hardening. "I'm not going anywhere without Lamie and Magdalena."

She could feel Law's fingers relaxing as he gave a slight nod in her direction. The headmistress gave her best to change their minds but they were gone before she could finish her first sentence. Savenna swallowed hard, as she ran back to the hospital at Law's side. It was already too late when she realized the gravity of her decision. Either her mother had been lying or there was no ship left in the harbor to make the crossing, for all of them had burned hours ago. Whoever the headmistress had paid off to bring her pupils to safety, must have been from the wrong side of the border. Savenna didn't look back as she understood that her former classmates were running into a deadly trap.

She squeezed Law's hand and kept on running.

More and more snow fell on what was left of Flevance while a icy wind whistled over the freezing cobblestones. Neither Law nor Savenna could feel the heat coming from the fires rising on both sides of the street.

As they finally managed to get to the hospital, Savenna could look closer at the crowd teeming around the building like an anthill. But it took her a few seconds to realize that they weren't simple town folk banging at Trafalgar's doors. All of them were wrapped in gray suits that covered their entire body. The closer they got, the more they looked like monsters to her. She pulled Law behind a corner just in time, before one of them turned toward the children. Law and Savenna watched them silently, uneasiness stirring up in their stomach.

"Their faces...", Savenna said frowning, as managed to get a closer look.

"Gas masks. They still think we are contagious", Law replied dryly.

"Who are they?"

"Soldiers, I think... Their uniforms look familiar."

While Savenna tried to know what to make out of this, the gray men started getting into formation and making their rounds around the building. The doors must have been shut from the inside. Whoever they were, Trafalgar didn't want them entering the hospital. Only when she saw the long, pointy guns in their hands she figured what they were here for. Dizzy, she turned to Law. He was simply staring into nothing, thinking.

"Wait... Why do you have that look on your face? You're not going to do something stupid, aren't you?", she asked, forcing her voice to sound firm. Before he could reply, her fingers cramped around his arm.

"As I met Magdalena at the docs she told me that mother had already returned. There are no people waiting outside so they must still be in the building. I have to find them before they do", he said with determination and freed himself violently.

The cold insanity she had seen back at her old house, flickered now again in his eyes. One wing of the hospital was already on fire. Lamie must have been terrified, all alone in a narrow closet with the smoke spreading in the hallways. There was no way he would stay outside and watch. Savenna understood perfectly what he was doing but there was no way she would let it happen. She had read enough books to know how this was going to end and given the circumstances, there was nothing they would be able to do. The hospital still housed the majority of the citizens sick with Amber Lead poisoning. If the armies wanted to get rid of the threat once and for all, that was the place they had to put to ashes.

"They are armed, Law. You will be dead before you know it!", she hissed passionately.

It wasn't too late, they hadn't seen them yet. If they were careful they could still hide among the trees in the park and wait. But the idea didn't even cross Law's mind. He ignored Savenna's warning and hushed behind the bushes toward the back door. It was a door at the east side of the building where the deliveries came in. It was the same door her father had brought her in the evening he found out about Savenna's disease. It wasn't a long way to run but there was no way he could cross the small driveway without being seen.

With rising temper, Savenna wanted to follow him but a shrill voice let her spin around. It was one of the nurses who, by chance had been in town when the enemy forces had crossed the borders of the city.

"By God! The fire...!", she cried gathering her skirts and rushing toward the main entrance. Even from the distance Savenna could see the cold sweat on her forehead. But she didn't get far. As soon as she approached one of the soldiers, two more got in her way.

"What is this? Who do you think you are? You have to let me through immediately! My patients are in danger!"

Savenna had never seen the young woman before but she felt the urge to press her hands over her mouth just to make her stop talking. However, the woman gesticulated wildly while the soldier facing her didn't show any reaction. Only when she tried to find a way passed him, a loud bang filled the freezing air. First the woman's body stiffened, then the force slid out of her limbs like water running out and she collapsed in the middle of the driveway.

It took Savenna all her energy to suppress a cry. She saw a small stream of bloom making its way through the cobblestones almost up to her feet. The girl stared motionless to the ground as the men agreed to spread out. The first soldiers slammed their guns against the front door, trying to break it down with force. At the third punch the door sprang out of the hinges. The others approached with cautious steps making their way around the hospital.

Then, somewhere inside the first guns fired. Savenna didn't even have time to wonder where else they might have broken in. Sharp screams rang out of the open windows.

That was her wake up call.

She could see Law's silhouette hiding in the shadows, but there was no way she would let him walk through that back door. It was almost a miracle that none of the masked soldiers noticed the white haired girl rushing through the park along the driveway. Waiting for the bullets to hit, she held her breath watching Law's shape stepping out of his hiding place.

She didn't know if it was sheer luck or misery as she saw the back door opening from the inside. Magdalena's large figure appeared in the doorway, dressed in a black cloak and almost swayed over the threshold.

Law was halfway over the driveway as he froze. The look of panic came over the governess' face as she saw the boy standing there. She needed only a blink of an eye to meet Savenna's gaze who rushed toward her with a racing heart. With a violent gesture Magdalena pulled Law toward her as the girl flung her arms around the governess' waist.

Magdalena's hair was undone and her face pale as a ghost's. Savenna could feel her shaking under her clothes and buried her fingers deeper into her skirts. Law tried with all means to free himself, his eyes filled with despair. Immediately the woman seized him by the shoulders.

"I'm so sorry, little doctor", she whispered, fighting to keep her eyes dry. "I searched everywhere for your sister." Law stopped winding in her arms. "But as I finally got to her, the smoke had found her first. There is nothing you can do now..."

As she heard hard steps coming closer, she pressed both of them against the wall to buy them some time. At this point Magdalena was wise enough not to mention Mary Trafalgar who had just been shot in front of her eyes.

Taking a quick look around her, Savenna was lost between the dreadful expression on Magdalena's face and the apathy spreading over Law's features. Meanwhile, the first patrol had made its round around the building and was walking toward the backdoor. There weren't more than a few steps separating them from the troupes.

Magdalena took a deep breath. "They have surrounded the building but you'll be safe", the governess muttered through the layers of her scarf. "But you'll have to be quiet, just for some time. Especially you, Miss." Her most tender look settled on Savenna, followed by the motherly smile that had calmed her for so many years.

"Why..."

"Sh...Come closer. Under the cloak, yes just like that", she said. "And remember, don't move, no matter what happens." Neither Law nor Savenna were of the kind to accept orders without questioning, but in that moment they were two children clinging to their mother's skirt. They did as they were told. Then Magdalena closed the buttons, stroke over the shape of their heads, turned toward the park and started walking. She felt the two pair of legs rubbing against hers as they moved slowly onto the driveway. However, it was only one large, dark shape that entered the soldiers' field of vision. Their orders went passed Magdalena's ears as she prayed for the courage she needed.

She made only a silent gasp as the first bullet stroke her shoulder. The next one hit her back and three others followed. As the air finally slipped out of her, she went down gently.

Trapped under the cloak, Law and Savenna wheezed under the weight of the motionless body. Mechanically, they moved closer together as a warm, thick liquid covered their skin. Its metallic smell convinced Savenna that it was blood. She could feel Law's shallow breathing next to her. His skin felt colder than Magdalena's even though none of the bullets had hit him. Desperately, both children tried to cling to each other, sharing between them the little air there was to breathe. Law's fingernails dug into Savenna's skin as the fatal footsteps returned. Words in an unknown language reached their ears before the soldiers left in a different direction. And then, cheek to cheek, they waited.

None of them knew how much time had passed, until the smoke made waiting unbearable. Savenna was so exhausted that halfway into a feverish slumber, she wanted to shake her governess' lifeless body. She urged to crawl on top of her covering as much of her as possible, to hinder her soul from flying away to some terrifying place. But Law's hands hadn't ceased clinging on to her, making it impossible to move. Now the blood that had poured out of Magdalena's wounds started cooling down and had dried on the children's skin.

Neither Law nor Savenna could ignore the heat that filled the air. The smoke entered their lungs and chased the smell of Magdalena's perfume, while the walls of the hospital fought loudly against the flames. Law pinched her violently as she didn't manage to swallow down a cough.

"Be quiet", he hissed so closely she could feel his damp breath. "Or they will come back." Savenna didn't reply for her head started spinning and she rung for air. Soon Law himself pressed out a silent cough. More and more smoke hung in the air, making it impossible to breathe normally.

"We have to go", Savenna muttered.

"What about the soldiers? We're not supposed to move."

"Maybe we've waited long enough..."

However, it took them another couple of minutes to gather what was left of their courage, before they started crawling and finally appeared from their cruel hiding place. Savenna scratched her elbows bloody, as her head popped up from under the cloak. She gasped for air and rolled on her back. Her eyes were burning as she stared motionlessly into the night sky. The sparks rising up from the fires that had engulfed the city, had masked the stars and sent orange flickers higher than the rare snow clouds. Savenna's head was as empty as the darkness above her. She had already screamed all her curses and cried all of her tears. Surrounded by so much horror she felt lost and hollow, like a living ghost haunting the dead.

Law's dark figure appearing in the corner of her eye, kept her for falling asleep. Holding his battered hat in his hands, his glance fixed the thongs of flame breaking out of the windows of the hospital. The south wing with the small room in the upper basement had collapsed, leaving nothing behind but blistering ruins. With effort, Savenna got back on her feet and joined him. She heard some explosions in the distance but the soldiers were gone.

They were standing too close to the fire, she could barely support the heat. Thick, large tears rolled down Law's cheeks while he cried silently for Lamie and his parents who had never made it out of the building.

"They're dead... Everybody is dead!", he sobbed. He repeated it many many times as if to convince himself of the sudden, surreal truth. Savenna was grateful having no need for that. She had had her share in advance. Then, with as mush tenderness as she could spare, she tried to pull the boy away from the scene.

"Don't touch me!", cried and pushed her away. "This is all your fault!"

Startled she backed away as he tried to hit her another time. But for the day they had fought in the kitchen he had never wanted to hurt her. But now Savenna was dodging the desperate punches he shot in her direction. She was too weary to defend herself and she let it happen. Then Law's frail slap hit her where her mother had stung her and Savenna cried out.

"I left Lamie behind because I was worried about you! I left her all alone in that stupid closet where she couldn't have climbed out on her own and that's why she's dead now. I abandoned her when I should have been there to help! If if hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have left in the first place!" Even though he was shouting, he barely drowned out the blasting sound of the flames.

Savenna had staggered away and watched him with a dreadful expression. "And you would have been dead too! Now tell me how this is my fault!"

"Maybe I should have died as well!"

"Then do it", she spat. "Go find a gun to shoot yourself with. Then Magdalena's death would have been for nothing, just like Lamie's. Do whatever you want but never call me selfish again." With those words she turned around and left him alone. Silently, she walked over to the governess' dead body and paused. The grief she should have felt for her mother now threatened to invade her heart. If her mother hadn't tried to drag her down with her, she would have cried and slapped her cold cheeks with rage. But ironically, there was no time to accord poor Magdalena this sort of gratitude. Savenna sensed herself crying again as she pulled the hood over the governess' disarrayed hair. Then she put up her own and started walking. As she entered the park, the only thoughts she allowed to enter her head was the anger she felt toward Law, for it gave her enough strength to set one foot before the other.

Meanwhile Law stood with his arms hanging down helplessly, and watched the fire growing bigger. The flames burned him as, filled with sorrow and grief, he kicked a piece of wood right into the fire. Deep inside he knew Savenna was right. It was too easy to blame her. He had already forgotten how many times he had done it, out of sheer fear or uncertainty. She had always been stronger than him. Even though he didn't want to admit it, he envied and hated her for the spirit which she never bothered hiding. Now sick and abandoned, he hated her for having to keep on fighting even though he would never be able to win. Then he turned around and ran after what was left of home.

In her head, Savenna had already covered the distance of many miles but as she heard hasty steps behind her, she realized it couldn't have been much indeed. She didn't bother turning around as she felt Law approaching.

"Savenna! Wait..", he began but his voice was too weary to speak. She had been preparing a full speech of indignation for him, while finding her way past the burned skeletons of houses. But at the sound of his voice her anger evaporated. Wordlessly, she reached out her hand.

Their tired eyes met quickly as their cold fingers touched. Then Law put the furry hat back on his head and slowly they continued their way through the aftermath of Flevance's last day. The streets took them north, past the path that led to the old Trafalgar estate. The flames had already worked their way through the house at the bottom of the wooded hill. Although they hadn't seen a soldier since they left the hospital grounds, they held their breath at every corner and didn't dare walking openly across squares or crossroads. The air smelled like blood and ash and a layer of gray dust had come down on their faces making them seem like two specters walking the deserted streets.

The sight of dead bodies that would have filled Savenna with terror and disgust a day ago, stopped bothering her. The corpses were everywhere. Either lonely like Magdalena's or gathered into groups, they were lying one next to another on the threshold of a town house or in the middle of a driveway. Sick or not, the army had shot them all. Despite Law and Savenna's hope for seeing other survivors, there were none.

It took them a few miles to accept that they were the last ones, for even as they arrived at the city gate, the streets were empty. It was as if a wind had come up and blown them to the ground like toy soldiers. Law pressed his back against the thick stone wall and frowned form under the rim of his hat. "What is it?", Savenna asked. Silently, snow had started falling again, transforming into clumps of dirt once it settled on the ground.

"Something isn't right...", Law whispered with a scowl.

"What do you mean?"

"There is no one here. Wasn't this supposed to be an invasion? I get why all those people are dead, but where did the soldiers go?", he asked, scanning the long, sinuous road leading into the country. Savenna shrugged.

"I don't know. But I surely don't want them to come back." She threw another glance at the empty observation posts on the wall and stepped on the pavement covered with ice.

"I don't have a good feeling about this...", Law said and followed her with hesitation. It didn't take them long to decided where to go. There was nothing in Flevance holding them back so they agreed to follow the northern road which marked the way to the nearest border. Getting out of the country was the only thing they could think of. So they kept on walking.

Savenna remembered the last time she had taken that road. She had been a little girl sitting on Magdalena's knees while her father was driving. Back in the days there were colored fields and dark forests with fir trees so high, that she had thought they were actually touching the clouds. But like everything else, Flevance's country side had changed within the last hours. Smoke rose from the groves that the bombs had reduced to singed fingers pointing toward the sky. Some parts of the road had been destroyed so Law and Savenna had to climb the rocks that had slid down the hills and jump over the holes in the concrete. Soundlessly, snow kept trickling form the sky and lay a shining white curtain over the destruction the soldiers had left behind.

Law and Savenna walked for many hours in deep silence. Even if one of them would have had the wish to talk, the ghostly calm which surrounded them forbid it. The gusting of the wind in the distance was the only sound they listened to. The further they went, the more the horrible events slipped from their mind. At first, Law couldn't stop imagining Lamie's thoughts as she suffocated in the fire but now his head was as empty as the expression of his eyes. The only thing he concentrated on, were Savenna's fingers tangled with his.

Although she hadn't said a word since they had left the city, he felt her presence and was able to breathe calmly. It was as if half of the pain seeped through the walls of his heart, flowed down to his hands and into hers. His last bit of courage clang to her cold fingertips while he imagined hearing his father's familiar steps in her shoes and the rustling of her mother's coat in gentle sound Savenna's hood made while moving in the wind.

Meanwhile Savenna's eyes had adjusted to the dark and with hardly any comfort she saw the first rays of dawn creeping over the horizon. She forgot how much time had gone by. Clutching to Law like a desperate, wild animal, she had ceased to feel pain or hunger. Although her throat was dry and the fever made her head throb like a fully equipped percussion orchestra, she simply forgot about it. All that she could think of was getting as far away from Flevance as her legs could take her. And even if that meant walking until she dropped dead. She imagined Law calling her dramatic, but she would drag him with her if he wanted or not, for there was no chance either of them could endure this journey alone.

The dead bodies within the city weren't the last the children came to see. Soon they came across several coaches that had been thrown over, covering the road with blood and broken glass. As they walked around the vehicle they discovered six people and Law understood quickly that there was no need searching for survivors. They had either died during the accident or frozen to death in the following hours. The children managed to steal a blanked out of the cabin and kept on walking.

After a few miles the vehicles multiplied. They were so many that they managed to block the entire road. As Law peered into the windows, he swallowed hard.

"What is it?", Savenna asked climbing onto an abandoned suitcase to share his discovery.

"Dead", the boy said dryly. But then he pointed at the large bullet wound on the driver's forehead. "This was no accident."

"But why..." Savenna frowned and hushed over to the coach on the other side where it wasn't any different. Even the horses lay dead on the icy ground. It was Law's turn to carry the stolen blanked but he couldn't help but shiver. "We're getting closer to the border. These people probably tried to flee the country before the army marched in. This means we can't be far."

Law turned out to be right. As they had made their way past the coach cemetery, a fence appeared on the top of the hill. But again, there was no one to be seen. The fence loomed above the deserted land like a motionless menace, leaving the children shivering as they started climbing. Soon the road disappeared beyond their feet while a heavy fog settled on the deserted rocks. There where the path was almost cut in half, Law got hold of Savenna's legs and pushed her on the boulders, the only thing left of the original road. The girl pulled herself up and helped Law do the same. But as they were finally ready to go, neither of them moved.

Their wide eyes wandered across the mountain plateau that had opened up in front of them. Up there the snow had fallen a long time ago but the shimmering layer had been marked with unsettled footsteps engraved into cold ground. But Savenna wouldn't have needed them to know that they weren't the first people to set foot on the hill.

Hundreds of bodies, pressed against each other covered the plain like a carpet of dead flowers. Their skin had turned to ice. Clothes that made their way out of the abandoned suitcases lied scattered over their frozen limbs, adding color to a dreary picture. Even though Savenna couldn't take her eyes of the motionless scene, she could hardly distinguish the different faces in the snow. To her they were nothing but a sea of distorted limbs and figures.

"I can't even remember seeing all those people leaving the city..." She expected Law to say something but as she gave him a quick look the boy bent his head down and threw up. Suddenly a wave of amusement overcame her and she couldn't help but exhale a mocking laugh.

"Was that lunch?" Seeing him of all people vomiting next to a bunch of corpses gave the situation an ironical touch.

"More yesterday's breakfast...", he said with a pale look on his face. He didn't bother hiding his bewilderment.

"Those must be the other Flevance refugees. They must have walked all the way out here", Savenna said quietly, stepping slowly toward the bodies whose empty eyes were staring toward the sky. "They almost reached the border."

"They did, but it wasn't the rough weather that killed them", Law replied examining an old gunshot wound marking the skull. Then, as if they had the same thought at the same time, their eyes darted toward the observation posts next to the iron fence.

"They must still be up there, the soldiers I mean, waiting for the ones who survived the fire", Law muttered. His face had regained the old impassive expression. Then he gave Savenna a sharp look. "We must find a way passed them. The invasion was a success, so they won't be expecting many of us. With that amount of snow, hardly anyone will be as stupid as we were to seek refuge in the north. And besides, these people don't look as if they had given up without a fight. There must be at least one hole in that fence where we can fit through."

Savenna eyed the hostile construction and nodded. "Let's go. But we have to keep away from those towers. We are small, so there is a chance they won't see us..."

After short reasoning they headed east, climbing and tripping over rows of hard and dead bodies. While they didn't seem to affect Law any further, Savenna imagined them as large dolls, somehow like those who stood in shop windows wearing the newest fashion. None of them had done her any harm so she decided not to expect any from their distant cousins.

But soon the gentle snowfall had grown into a blizzard that almost swept them off their feet. Despite their white clothes that served as convenient camouflage, the snow crept through the soles of their shoes and left them shivering. A crust of ice had formed on their hair and eye-lashes, while the cold hit them so hard they could feel the chill down in their bones.

"Stop...Law. I can't...", Savenna cried drowning the howling of the wind. She felt her eyes-balls freezing as she reached out to touch him. But he ignored her and instead of taking a break, he grabbed her arm and pulled her along. "If we stay here, we'll die!", he called through the storm even as his own foot was cuddled up between two stiff arms pointing out of the snow.

Although Law pretended to have enough force to go on, Savenna lacked hers. She tried to give herself a last push but as she recognized the shape of a familiar tower in the distance, she stopped. It was similar to the first observation tower they had been trying to leave behind.

"We've walked too far." She pulled Law's ear to her lips before pointing at the object in the distance. "That wasn't the only tower. They must have guards all along the border. We have to find another way to get to the fence." She didn't see the reaction on his face but felt his ears blaze with heat. She knew what he was thinking. If they didn't find a way out of the blizzard in no time, they would end up like the corpses under their feet.

With her mind drifting, she observed the dead. None of them cared about the weather anymore. For the first time since the night her father died, she wished the same to happen to her. But then, out of nowhere she laid eyes on something nearly invisible, halfway buried under the snow. Fire shot through her veins as she gathered her skirts and scrambled toward it. She fell two times until her hand clenched around the object. With a racing heart she got back on her feet and turned to Law.

He had hardly managed to follow and cursed at her from a distance. "What the hell are you doing? If you keep spending that much energy, you'll freeze to death in no time, you idiot!"

But Savenna barely even listened. Instead she fidgeted with something in front of his eyes. At first he didn't recognize the white ball of fur she was holding. "What is this?"

"A polar bear!"

"You've stolen a stuffed animal form a dead child. Congratulations."

She pulled the bear closer to her chest and shook her head. "You don't understand. It's like in the story."

She could read the look of quick recognition on his face, before it was filled with the expression of freezing cold again. "That was only a story, Savenna. You've made it up yourself."

Again she shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I know how to get to the fence unseen."

"How?"

"Like the polar bear. We only have to go deep enough to disappear form the surface."

Law needed some time to understand where this was going. "You can't be serious! This more than just crazy... you are completely morbid and insane."

Savenna shrugged in return and hid the stuffed animal under her cloak as if she wanted to protect if from the glacial wind. "It's the only real chance we've got. And we've escaped like this once and we can do it again." Once she the word had crossed her lips she could read true terror in Law's eyes. All the horrible words he might be calling her in secret echoed in her head but she put them aside. Respect and caution were something they couldn't afford. And what he thought of her didn't matter. She would regain his admiration once they were safe on the other side of the border.

But to her surprise, Law stayed silent. She thought to see a light going out in his eyes, as he dropped the resistance. "You win." With those words he turned around and started walking up the hill. Savenna followed him with determination heating her blood. She could see the two observation tower looming in the corners of her eyes when Law stopped.

"This is far enough. If we go any further, they'll see us despite the snow." Savenna nodded and thought of her plan. She guessed that this would be the worst thing she would ever do, as she rolled the first body to the side. Her assumption had proven itself right. There were more corpses buried under the first layer of bodies and she and Law were small enough to crawl though the space in between.

Law gave her a grim look and knelt down into the snow. She swallowed hard and followed him. If her heart had been filled with grief as she was pressed to Magdalena's dead body, the cold limbs that almost crushed her on the slope left her indifferent. Although she would have given anything to remove their weight, she couldn't care less for who they were and how they had died. The hollow eyes staring at her stopped giving her shivers as for her, they had ceased to be human.

In spite of her moral detachment, the way was long. Rarely, Law or Savenna had the chance to creep under the body of a child or a young, light-boned woman. Most of the refugees who had made it to the border were grown men who challenged all the children's fading strength. Sometimes their elbows touched the frozen ground, another time they got tangled up in coats or necklaces, moving through the crowd limb by limb.

After they had advanced a few feet, Law forgot his aversion. Leaving the ethics he had studied behind, he was glad about the dead shielding them from the blizzard and glad about the cold chasing the smell of rotting flesh. He gave his best at staying close to Savenna who from time to time stuck her head out of their hiding place to make sure they hadn't lost their way. Ten bodies further, they figured out that luck was on their side. Some of the refugees had managed to tear a hole in the fence not far from where the children were hiding.

"Maybe five bodies more and we're through", Savenna whispered, laying down next to Law and covering her head with a forearm.

"What's on the other side?", Law wanted to know. Savenna managed to shake her head. "I don't know. But the last time I checked there was nothing."

"No corpses?"

"No. Just white plains. We'll have to run from there..." Savenna pressed the stuffed polar bear closer to her chest. Both of them knew what that meant but none of them mentioned it. There was hardly any chance they would get out of the country unseen, but they had come too far to stop at the possibility of getting dragged back into Flevance or being killed on the spot.

With racing hearts they kept going, one after the other. With ever step they got closer to the iron net, the more space there was between the bodies that sheltered them from unwelcome eyes. There were even parts of the slope where there was nothing above their heads but livid dawning sky. The blizzard had calmed down and settled a thick layer of snow on the top of the towers that seemed as quiet as before.

Law reached out, gritted his teeth and finally got hold of the icy metal. Savenna followed him and they climbed through the narrow hole without taking a breath. Suddenly the air felt heavenly light upon their shoulders. Without looking back, they grabbed each others hand and started running. The rising sun shot bloody morning rays over the infinite landscape that blinded their eyes. The snow clouds dispersed quickly, letting the faint warmth of the northern sun caress Savenna's cheeks. Law's eyes fixed the horizon while she felt so light her feet could just take off and fly away.

But suddenly reality hit her hard. A weight clenched itself to her foot and with a painful shriek she landed in the snow. Law stopped immediately and hurried back to her. "What happened?Are you hurt?"

"Damn it!", she hissed. "I tripped even though it was nothing there...!"

This was the worst time for her feet to fail her. She rolled herself up and clenched her hand around her ankle that was throbbing with pain. Then she wanted to look out for the thing that had made her trip, but Law had been quicker. He held a chain in his hand, sharp and as white as snow. Cold anger distorted his features. "No wonder you haven't seen it. It's a part of our own war machinery made out of finest Amber Lead." Savenna knew she had no time to appreciate the irony behind this. She gritted her teeth and reached out for Law's arm who pulled her back up. But as soon as she put weight on her right ankle, she almost cried out. "It hurts too much. I'll never be able to run fast enough!"

Law's eyes stayed hard with furious anger still boiling in him. Savenna doubted he was even listening. He hadn't come all the way to lose her now. Without her, his whole journey would lose its goal. Therefore he wanted to get her moving again but suddenly a gunshot filled the thin air. Law froze down to the core.

"Bloody Roger!", Savenna cursed pressing the hands on her ears. An echo ran through the hills and left her head ringing. Law stood perfectly still, watching the border with sharp eyes.

"They're coming", he said, suddenly unable to move. Savenna spun with a fierce expression in her eyes.

Two soldiers dressed in the same gray suits as the ones they had encountered at the hospital, came rushing down the slope. With the blizzard gone, the sunlight had made it very easy for them to spot the two last refugees form the forsaken city. It was clear to both kids that the guns were more than just decoration, at the latest when the first bullets whistled past them.

"You have to go right now! They won't be able to hit you if the distance is big enough", Savenna hissed in Law's direction. "You can still make it across the plain and then you'll hide in the snow until they're gone." The begging tone in her voice struck him with terror. Like a little child refusing to eat his diner, Law shook his head obstinately.

"Shut up! There's no way I'm going without you!" The option of saving his own skin didn't even occur to him before. Despite his young age, he felt miserably for failing the only task he had sworn to accomplish. He was a doctor and hadn't been able to save anyone but her. The entire logic of his existence had been reduced to the one girl who had pushed him to his breaking point too many times as that he could imagine walking a single step without her. Seeing the cold determination in her eyes, his mask started to crumble.

"But it's like in the story, you said it yourself! I cured you from that stupid drug, the polar bear has done his job and now it's your turn!"

She was all set to say something in return but he cut her off. "Do the same thing you've done to Pablo! Knock them out and we'll have enough time to escape!" Tears were rising in his eyes as he found himself asking for the impossible. He looked at her with the desperate glance he hadn't had the chance to give his parents before the hospital had gone up in flames. "The only thing the princess has to do is take off the hood, right?", he added with a faint voice.

There were many things Savenna would have told him if she had had the time. She would have reminded him that she had no idea what the force was that managed to give her body the strength to fight both her sickness and her enemies. She would have mentioned that she wasn't able to control it and that she was the one who feared it the most. But even knowing this, Law would have missed the essential point. The love that was supposed to save their lives had already done its share on him twice. And even though Savenna had made up the silly story, given the circumstances she couldn't have done more.

Before her hand even reached the rim of her hood, two bullets hit her in the back. The girl cried out in pain, but as Law approached her, she used her last strength to push him away.

"Go! What the hell are you waiting for? Run!" Hot tears ran down her face as she heard the soldiers trudging through the snow.

"Are you crazy? I wouldn't..."

"Listen up, Mushroom-Head!", she called, fighting the burning pain spreading in her body. Even though it was hard, she ignored the urge of clinging on to him. Then her eyes filled with burning violence. She had to make him leave immediately.

"You never do as I tell you, but please do me a favor this time. You turn around and you leave. And if not, I swear on my father's soul, that if I die, I will come back and haunt what will be left of yours. No matter if they catch you or kill you, I will find you. Now go away already!"

Despite the time she had spent with the Trafalgars, she hadn't forgotten who she was and how many people she had left weeping with her threats. Now she spat them viciously in Law's face, before pressing the little polar bear roughly into his arms.

"Leave me alone!", she yelled as her knees bent under her weight.

The look he gave her almost made her cry. He stared at her with pure dread written all over his face. She was too furious to notice that Law had finally crossed the border of madness that would chase him up to Don Flamingo's door and torture him even many years later.

 _He's afraid of me, he won't return_ , she thought instead and sighed with relief. Finally, Law turned around and ran. Far away in the distance, Savenna could hear the guns going off, but soon the violent sound disappeared. She imagined Law's steps stamping through the snow, his fingers crushing the bear. Then a sudden numbness covered her like a warm blanket and Savenna's mind drifted into oblivion.


	9. Lost and Found

Hey there!

I'm really sorry for taking so much time to update! I had a tough couple of weeks but now I'm back. I hope you're not mad...

Here a chapter about Savenna and her struggles after the events in Flevance. I hope you'll enjoy it :-) And again, tell me if you see something that needs correcting and I'll fix it right away :-)

* * *

A biting wind had risen on the hills above Flevance and covered nature with a thin layer of ice. Two days had gone by since Law had left and no sign of life could be spotted at the northern border. A good pair of eyes however, would be able to make out two dark shapes creeping soundlessly along the iron fence.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Catch. I don't think we should be here..." The first stopped and tugged his scarf carefully over nose and mouth.

The man following him rolled his eyes. "What is it now, Fetch? This isn't the first grave you're robbing, for god's sake! Are you afraid of one of them waking up and giving us a hard time? Now move!"

Catch intended to push his friend forward, but Fetch's feet seemed frozen to the ground. "It's not them I'm worried about, idiot", he said with his eyes glued to the snow on the other side of the fence. "Haven't you heard of the sickness? It's told to be so contagious it wiped out the entire country. I don't think we should be messing with this." His watery eyes wandered over the limbs sticking out of the snow. The blizzard had covered most of the plain, leaving them to imagine what had happened on these hills a few days ago.

Even though he did a good job faking his indifference, Catch couldn't help but shiver at the sight of the icy skin. The Amber Lead still glistered in the limbs of the dead as if celebrating its final victory.

The thief managed to get a hold of himself at last and grunted. "Fairy tales, nothing more. The others have already gone south and brought home tons of loot. They touched them and nothing happened. I'm sure they've just invented those stories to keep folks like us away."

"I don't know..."

"No one cares what you think. We have a job to do and the sooner it's done, the sooner we're out of here."

With empty bags over their shoulders, they slipped through the same hole which Law and Savenna had used to escape. All of the corpses had been dragged back on Flevance territory as if the military feared the sickness to spread over the frozen earth. The thieves had to be quick. Even though they were in decent health, once somebody saw them near the infected bodies, they would be considered contaminated and shot without questioning. Therefore they kept their eyes at the watch towers as they set foot in the country which had turned into miles of bitter wasteland.

Fetch followed his friend, his glance wandering over what had once been the home of the wealthiest men in the entire North Blue. If was almost as if they had been punished for their greed. Wordlessly, he eyed Catch looking for jewelry in the suitcases left open. The thief sighed and prayed that they won't be paying the same price.

"Be careful...," he muttered while Catch stooped over the first corpses.

"Yes, yes, just watch out for those guards." Skillfully his gloved hands searched pockets and bags. As he tugged to scan the dead for watches and necklaces, Fetch could see a wave of disgust flush over his features. Even for the expert criminal that he was, the sight of Flevance's refugees might have been too much to take. Fetch could already feel his stomach skip dangerously and preferred to stay away. Slowly he made some distance between him and Catch, trying not to step on the hardened body parts while observing the watch towers.

Of all the small raids he had done, this one truly made him wonder why he had gotten into the business in the first place. He wasn't a gifted thief. He had started out like everybody else, for the money. But instead of going to sea like he had always wanted, he stayed back relieving people of their possessions. If it was courage or honor he lacked, he never found out. But his conscience had never really flipped the switch, and kept bothering him in times like these.

It wasn't disgust he felt as his shoe accidentally touched a woman's stiffened cheeks. It was pity accompanied by dread. He had seen many corpses during the last years, but none of them scared him as they did. There was something eerie, unnatural about them. It seemed as if they were fighting an invisible battle, their limbs frozen in motion.

"Fetch! Come here and give me a hand!" he could hear Catch's voice calling from the distance. He sighed. Glad to be able to chase his sinister thoughts, he gave the faraway tower a last glance. But just as he wanted to lift his feet from the ground, a feeble grip closed around his left ankle.

Fetch had never been so close to panic before. He barley managed to suppress a cry as he saw small fingers clinging to his socks. He wanted to run as fast as his legs could carry him, but wasn't able to move. Scarcely visible among the snow covered limbs, a bony arm had reached out for him. After gathering his courage, he looked down and realized the person it belonged to was only a child. Wrapped in a bloody cloak, her tiny body lay twisted between the corpses of two men. Her hair was dirty but almost invisible in the ice. That's why he had overlooked her so easily. Deep dark circles surrounded her eyes above the drained cheeks making her look like a doll found in an abandoned house.

"Holy mother of...," he muttered but was cut off by large, white eyes meeting his. There was little life left in them, but what remained stared venomously back at him.

"I don't want...to...die!"

The voice was raspy and so quiet he thought imagining it. It was neither a plea nor a prayer. It reached his ears with the sound of a warning and Fetch couldn't help but shiver. Without noticing it, he drew back, stumbling on the uneven ground until Catch appeared next to him.

"What the hell is wrong with you? I've seen something move up on that tower, why haven't you said..." He was just about to insult Fetch as he realized what his friend was so desperately staring at. "I'll be damned," the other thief whispered.

"She's alive..." Fetch mumbled half drunk with fear. For the first time, Catch didn't know what to say. His wide-shouldered body stood in front of him shielding Fetch from the terrifying sight. The girl didn't repeat her words, but he could hear her hoarse, animal-like breathing louder than the wind blowing on the plain.

"Must be some rich parent's girl", Catch said then. "See those earrings? Real diamonds, I can tell by the glow." His eyes adopted a similar glint as he turned toward his partner.

"Are you insane? I'm not taking them!" Fetch almost shrieked at the thought. To his astonishment, it wasn't the idea of touching her that repelled him the most. He was deeply afraid of the child that was undoubtedly breathing its last breath. Whoever she was, she looked like an ice sculpture come to life proving that Flevance's lands were haunted.

"Why not? It's not like she needs them any longer," Catch scoffed.

"What? You just want to leave her here?"

"Of course, we're leaving her. What should an Amber Lead corpse be good for? We could cut her into little pieces and hang them over doors and windows to scare folk away but that would be it. But I'm not carrying the extra weight for that." Catch pretended to ponder over the idea but made it clear that the earrings was the only thing that interested him. But as he stepped forward, Fetch blocked his way.

"You can have them," he said with crumbling determination. "But only when she's taken care of." Had Catch asked what his partner hoped to gain by bringing the girl along, he wouldn't have been able to say. He only knew that something very bad would happen if he didn't. Maybe saving one dying would make up for all the dead he had left behind. After a long time he felt his guilty conscience gnawing on him. He waited for Catch to object, but he didn't. Knowing Amber Lead wouldn't harm him, he simply shrugged.

"Fat Louise will be delighted to shovel another grave," he chuckled with irony. "But what do I care. It's your decision. As long as you carry her on _your_ back."

Fetch nodded silently. Without looking the girl in the eye, he lifted her ridiculously light body off the ground and hoisted it over his shoulder. After spotting the soldier's shadows in the towers, they slid back through the hole and took off with their loot.

Savenna didn't feel the rough arms around her, as Fetch carried her over the white fields. The glittering snow burned her eyes as she drifted slowly back into unconsciousness. She didn't have any force left to wonder what was going to happen to her.

Dawn had been breaking when she had forced her eye lids open. She didn't recall any of the past events and forgot even the bullets that had brought her down. Seeing the pitch-black sky, she had been convinced to be dead. However, the pain in her back told her otherwise. As she felt an elbow pressing against her, she knew somebody had moved her back on Flevance territory. All of it had been for nothing. She wanted to cry out in frustration but her throat was sore and dry. Not being able to move, only her eyes wandered in the direction where she remembered Law disappear.

For the first time since the ground had started to tremble under her hometown, Savenna cried. As if disconnected from her brain, her eyes sent loads of water down her cheeks where the icy wind threatened to freeze it solid. Law's shape in the distance was all her fading mind could think of. _He must be miles away by now - if he made it._ Madly Savenna gritted her teeth. _Of course he made it_.

She wanted to get up and go back. She needed to catch up with him, to tell him she was alive and that everything would be fine. But as if Amber Lead had merged with the leaded bullets in her back, it pinned her to the ground like a soaked piece of paper. With every minute she was lying there, Law went further and further away and she couldn't prevent it from happening. Frantic despair kept her awake until the grave robbers arrived. But now that she felt the ground moving again, she finally dared to abandon herself.

Savenna didn't see the icicles hanging from the leafless tress the three of them passed, or the huts which had collapsed under the weight of the snow. A deserted landscape opened up in front of them.

Fetch was the skinnier of the thieves, but managed to carry Savenna without visible effort. Clumsily he had wrapped her in a bag of rough linen meant to transport sparkling treasure, hoping to protect her from the cold. Catch, on the other hand, was only eager to leave the Flevance border behind and rarely lifted his gaze from the map.

"I hope the boat is still there," Fetch said. Catch grunted in return and quickened his path. After passing two snow-covered hills, they finally laid eyes on what was left of a tiny harbor. Some sunken boats rose above the surface of a wide channel, splitting Flevance's neighbor country into two land parts. To Fetch's relief, the sloop they had borrowed to make the crossing, was still moored to the rotting landing stage.

Wordlessly, Catch tossed his treasure into the boat and jumped on the thwart. Since his partner didn't offer his help, Fetch's uncertain grip tightened around Savenna as he did the same. Placing her next to the other bags, he took off his coat and after spreading it over her, before he started to row.

"Please tell me your mother let you fall on your head one too many times," hissed a slightly overweight woman wearing a white apron. With a reddened face, Fat Louise pointed at Savenna's body lying on a wooden table. She had come storming in from her butcher shop which served as a front to cover up their group of organized crime, as soon as she heard her thieving squad return. Expecting money or nice possessions she could sell on the local black marked, she was quite disappointed to discover one of her associates had been surprising philanthropic instead. She rolled her fish-like eyes when Fetch didn't answer.

He stood over the girl, observing the almost invisible movements in her chest. Catch had deposited his loot on the other end of the table before wandering off to the cupboard containing the rum stolen from the better taverns. Savenna's earrings were already bouncing in his pockets.

"Fine, don't talk to me!", she called, brushing her graying hair behind her ears. "But tell me at least what you want me to do with her." This time Fetch didn't need much time to turn his weathered face toward the woman.

"Fix her," he replied. Suddenly, the middle-aged woman burst into laughter. She didn't need more than a quick glance at Savenna's skin to understand who she was looking at.

"Fix her? Do I look like a damn doctor to you?", she said, still giggling in her low, rough voice. "Of all the trash you could have taken in, you bring me a Flevance girl? Why did you even bother? She has Amber Lead poisoning! Not even Gold Roger's ghost could fix that!"

Fetch scratched his own whitening hair, as he felt her staring at him. His pale eyes rested on Savenna. He recalled the way she had reached out for him, which made him stick to his decision. "I just didn't seem right to leave her there."

"What do you care? The only brats useful to us are the ones that bring in more than they cost. What should we do with an orphaned rich girl? Even if she survives the night, she'll be too weak to steal and too young to offer other services. Besides, I've seen marines searching the city for fugitives. She'll only bring us trouble."

Although he didn't want to admit it, Fetch knew she was right about that. He had seen ships with white-striped sails dock in Fort Esperance the day the military had allied with two other countries to march into Flevance. Here everybody knew about Amber Lead and the terrible sickness it caused. Last Flevance merchandise had been destroyed months ago and every infected arrested. But now the marines had taken over.

Even though Fort Esperance was a rather modest port compared to its late white neighbor, the streets now teemed with marines as if it just had been proclaimed a Grand Line kingdom. Lots of refugees had been turned in by the town criminals to make up for the money they lost due to the high law enforcement. Fetch wondered if he'd truly done the child a favor by bringing her into town.

Nevertheless, he resisted Fat Louise's provocative stare. "I'll take full responsibility for that. If she survives and doesn't bring us any profit, I'll turn her in myself. Until then, I'll feed her from my share and see that she won't draw any attention to us", he said with a low but steady voice.

The stocky butcher raised one eye-brow at him. She couldn't say she wasn't surprised. Fetch had always been of the quiet kind, had never been to prison and seldom raised his voice. With ash blond hair, ordinary looking features and hardly any muscle on the bones, he seemed as if he was constantly hiding from somebody. Now however, Fat Louise figured out that he simply hadn't cared enough before. But she could only guess what exactly it was that made him fear for that girl.

"Fine. I'll give it a try. But I don't promise anything", she said with a sighed, finally giving in. Then she turned to Catch who had opened another bottle of rum and was sucking on it while following the conversation with bold disinterest.

"Go and grab a shovel instead of sitting around like a retard", she ordered.

With a confused expression, he pointed a finger at himself. "Me? Why?"

"Because I had to bury three pirates yesterday and I don't feel like shoveling graves anymore. And I really doubt that my methods are subtle enough to keep this little princess among the living. A street child might pull through, but this one..." she hesitated looking at Savenna's smooth cheeks and fingers, while Catch crossed the room scolding. "This one is way too delicate."

Just as Catch was out of the door, Fetch grabbed his bottle of rum and took some anxious gulps himself. Fat Louise knew too little about his past to understand the dull pain in his eyes every time Savenna's heart skipped a beat. The cold bodies staring at him out of their graves, as he gathered their earthly possessions, weren't the only ones he had betrayed and left behind: the girl from the fallen city, was his chance of redemption.

"Give me that," she demanded. He handed the bottle over and with an annoyed look on her swollen features, she took some big gulps and sighed. Then, lowering her glance onto Savenna, she said, "Let's do this then."

Indeed, she didn't have to be a doctor to realize the girl was suffering from severe hypothermia and that she had lost a significant amount of blood. With a strong grip she rolled her on the back and her eyes narrowed with disgust at the sight of the two gunshot wounds. But the girl had been lucky. Parts of the splintered bullet had been caught by the thick fabric of her dress. With disbelief, the butcher cut off a bit of the cloth and gave a bitter laugh.

"What is is?", Fetch mumbled, his face resting in his hands.

"Dammit, Fetch do you see this? These people were so ridiculously rich, they've even sewn their precious metal inside a little girl's dress." Fat Louise squinted and after muttering some curses, she pulled a skin-thin Amber Lead disk out of the dirty fabric. "How ironic... Even after sealing the fate of her people, this little thing saved her life."

"What do you mean?"

"These bullets were fired by a long range weapon. They would have torn her apart if it wasn't for this. I bet she wasn't aware she was wearing an armor."

But nevertheless, the wounds needed special care. Fat Louise reached out for the now half-empty bottle. Disinfection was disinfection. She didn't hesitate as she spilled the liquid on the open wounds.

A dry roar reached their ears.

Savenna ripped her eyes open. The crammed room spun in front of her. A man whose face she had already forgotten was watching her. But before she could make sense of anything, a burning pain blended out every rational thought. It wasn't the feeling of Amber Lead devouring her, but a sharp, piercing sensation numbing her limbs. Suddenly she recalled the bullets flying through the air. She screamed.

"For god's sake, shut up, girl!", an irritated voice growled behind her. But Savenna couldn't care less. She cried with the increasing pain, until a bottle neck was pressed between her lips. Like a sailor dying of thirst, she started to suck on the bottle, believing it to be water. But as soon as the liquid touched her tongue, she coughed. The rum ran down her throat but she had no force to push the bottle away.

"That's right, princess. Just keep drinking," the same voice muttered in an almost gentle tone. Even though everything in her was repelled by that idea, she was too weak to resist. Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of it.

Savenna heard the woman say while feeling a sudden lightness coming over her. "She was lucky. If it hadn't been for the cold she'd have probably bled to death. The temperatures up on the border are deadly. If the cold hasn't killed her, it must have shrunk her blood vessels and kept enough blood in her body." Then Savenna heard her going away and coming back. Fat Louise now held a pair of tongs in her right hand and an already bloody cloth in the left. Fetch's knees felt wobbly as she spoke. "But whatever the miracle, she's bleeding into her lungs. I need to remove the splinters of the bullets."

Savenna's eyes widened with panic. But before she or her savior could say something, the cold metal entered her skin.

This was the moment the true misery of her situation caught up with her. This weren't Dr. Trafalgar's experienced, steady hands examining her skin or Magdalena brushing the hair from her shoulders. All those gentle gestures were gone.

As the first splinter came out, Savenna didn't cry in pain but out of loneliness and homesickness for a place that had ceased to exist. Whoever was halfheartedly patching her up, didn't care for her agony and could simply let her die if she felt like it. Now Savenna would have given everything to see the reassuring sorrow in Law's eyes again. As the second splinter fell down on the wooden table, she sobbed soundlessly, sorry for all those times she had hurt him on purpose just to get what she wanted.

Swaying somewhere beside herself, she thought of the last time they had spoken. He had almost wrecked himself to keep his promises and that's why she would do the same. She would find him just as she had said.

Instantly the stubbornness Law had always rolled his eyes at heated the blood in her body. It had been pouring out of her like water into a sinking ship and Fat Louise cursed, as she needed to change the cloth she was pressing on Savenna's wounds. As the bleeding didn't stop and the girl had ceased to fidget, she thought it was over. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she stemmed her hands onto her hips.

"Well, I told you, Fetch. She was too frail to make it." But as Fat Louise heard fingernails scratching the wood, she realized she was mistaken. Savenna's reddened eyes smoldered with determination.

"Shut up, you hag!", she managed to spit in her direction. For the first time in years, Fat Louise was speechless. With trembling hands, Savenna reached out for the bottle standing next to her. It almost fell on her face, when she took two full gulps of the warm drink. When she had finished, it slid out of her fingers and shattered on the floor. Once Fat Louise had regained her wits, ready to yell at her patient, the girl had already fallen asleep.

Even though Savenna's fierceness had impressed the butcher who regularly took care of the injuries of Fort Esperance's underground, she was in utterly bad shape. Her fingers and toes had suffered frost bite. Fat Louise wrapped her in a patched up blanket and put her next to the poorly lit fire place to keep her warm. The butcher pretended not to care about her insolent patient's condition, but soon her pride wouldn't allow her to leave Savenna to her injuries. So she prayed for those gunshot wounds to heal properly and washed them with all kinds of spirits she could find. But due to the lack hygiene and medical equipment, Savenna's wounds closed very slowly.

Like a mute guard dog, Fetch watched over her day and night in the quarters behind the butcher's shop. While Savenna had no idea who the man was who had saved her, he wouldn't leave her side. He rarely opened the windows of the small room to prevent the cold ocean wind from blowing inside and fed regularly new wood to the fire. Each time others gathered in Fat Louise's quarters, he either ignored them or shooed them away once they came too close to his protege. Catch spent his time shaking the head at his partner while drinking away his liquor.

"Would you do me a favor and keep an eye on her while I'm away?", Fetch asked one night.

First Catch didn't know what to say. He didn't really care what happened to the Flevance girl as long as he didn't have to fill up her grave in the cold weather.

"Sure.. It's not like she's going anywhere," he replied then and let himself fall on a nearby chair. Fetch muttered a quick thank you, put his hood up and shut the door behind him.

It would take several hours until it opened again. Catch had fallen asleep in the meantime and banged his head against the wall as Fetch rushed back into the room.

"Dammit...where the hell have you been? I'm not your freaking babysitter!" he snapped after secretly checking if the girl was still where he had left her.

Fetch didn't even look at him as he peeled himself out of his worn-out coat. "At the market. There was a pirate selling some goods and I bought this," he said, holding a little bottle filled with green liquid in his hand. After rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Catch gave it a closer look and frowned. "What that?"

"Medicine. Apparently..."

"You know what it's for?"

"Not really... He stole it from some sick kid a couple of days ago. Couldn't really tell me what it was," Fetch said and shrugged. It was the best he could come up with. After Louise had warned him that her wounds could get infected, he preferred doing something stupid instead of doing nothing.

Catch slapped his hand on his forehead. "You know that there's more than just one kind of medicine, right?"

His partner rolled his eyes and gave him a sharp look. "Of course I do. But that's the only one I could put my hands on. If you have a better idea, go ahead." Like Fetch had guessed, Catch stayed silent. Then he sighed. "Whatever... just don't say I didn't warn you."

Trying to ignore these words, Fetch went to the rusty sink and poured a glass of water where he diluted a couple of green drops. After realizing that he had no idea what he was doing, he decided to stop thinking in general. He walked over to Savenna and pressed the rim of the glass on her lips but nothing happened. Half awake, half asleep, she was mumbling names he couldn't understand while her legs were twitching as if she was running in her dream.

The thief sighed. "This won't be nice. I'm sorry...", he whispered. His fingers reached out for Savenna's nose and pinched it shut until her mouth flung open like a fish's. Then, as gently as possible, he poured the liquid down her throat. The girl coughed and almost choked before she finally swallowed everything.

Only as her breathing had come back to normal, Fetch allowed himself to lean back in his chair and to fall asleep.

Two days after her arrival in Fort Esperance, Savenna regained consciousness. First thing she felt was the wooden floor beneath her and the familiar stinging pain in her back. Despite the throbbing sensation in her skull, she managed to open her eyes.

The room which appeared wasn't bigger than her garden shed back home. The walls were made out of decaying wooden planks which tried desperately to contain the heat coming from a filthy fireplace. A round table and chairs that looked as if they were stolen from six different stores, occupied the majority of the space. Even though she couldn't tell where it came from, the smell of raw meat hung in the air and made her want to throw up. A pitiful pile of rags served her as a mattress, reeking of grime and smoke. The flames in the fire place had almost gone out. But before Savenna could look down on herself, she spotted the man sleeping in the chair above her. _Crap_ , she thought. Whoever was keeping her in this awful place, was making sure she wouldn't escape.

Her mind was still clouded with liquor and the high dose of painkillers Fetch had made her drink. Therefore, false conclusions came on rushing toward her. Like every girl in her adventure books, she too was captured and had to find a way out while her guard was sleeping. So Savenna flung back the coat covering her bruised legs and attempted to get up.

But as soon as she shifted her weight, she cried out in pain. So instead of sneaking past her guard, she made Fetch jump on his feet, eyes wide open.

"Don't move!" she yelled, squinting in his direction. Fetch stood there in total confusion when she grabbed a piece of fire wood and pointed it at him like a sword. Unfortunately, her arms were too weak for the thick branch and it fell down on her knees, making her curse between her teeth. As her eyes darted back at him, she realized he was watching her with something between concern and amusement.

"What is it? What do you want from me?" she asked sharply. First the thief was taken aback by the adult sound of her voice. Then his features softened and he scratched his head, smiling awkwardly.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," he said, not sure what to make of her reaction. She was different from what he had expected. No frightened little girl, but a cat ready to scratch his eyes out. They stood there in silence, looking at each other until it finally dawned on Savenna and she recognized the man she had almost scared to death on the border. Her wits gathered slowly and it took her a while until she was able to give him something like a smile.

"How long was I out?" she asked then.

Glad to benefit from her mood swing, Fetch gave it a thought. "Two days, I guess. But I don't now how long you've been in the snow." As she realized how much time had gone by, Savenna shivered. She imagined Law being on the other side of the world by now. Now she wouldn't even know where to look. "We...I crossed the border on the night after Flevance fell," she whispered slowly, lifting her questioning gaze to Fetch.

"We had to wait until the military let their guard down. We came two days after that. That means..."

"Four days", Savenna said with a high-pitched voice. "I was out for four whole days! That can't be! That's too much time!"

"With Amber Lead poisoning, two bullets in the back and no food... That seems like a hell of long time to me," Fetch agreed but was immediately interrupted.

"No, you don't understand!" Savenna insisted. "I have to find somebody. I promised I would..."

But this time it was she who wasn't allowed to finish. On the other end of the room, a door flung open and a large, ugly looking woman entered. The apron she had tied around what must have been the waistline, was sprinkled with blood. The scent of raw meat grew so strong Savenna had to hold her breath.

"So, look who's awake! You cost me a bottle of rum that was probably older than yourself, princess! I hope you're planning on replacing that soon. As you're awake now, it won't be long until you can start working," she said while it sounded more like a street dog barking. Her swollen eyes still fixed on the girl, she scratched her chin with fat fingers.

Savenna had a hard time not to stare. Although she had met lots of people in her young life, she had never laid eyes on such an awful woman before. Even larger than Magdalena, she seemed even more appalling than sailors after four weeks at sea. The only thing Savenna managed to say was, "I'm sorry...who are you again?"

The roaring laughter almost made the furniture move. "I'm butcher Louise. The others here call me Fat Louise, but if I hear it from you even once, I'll slap those little cheeks of yours until your ears ring. Got it?"

Savenna didn't tell her that her voice alone managed to do that, and nodded wordlessly.

"And you've also to thank me for saving your life," Fat Louise added, raising her nose in the air. "Or what is left of it. Anyway, all of your dept is to me."

Again, Savenna nodded without understanding half of it. She had been surrounded by doctors for the last couple of months and this woman surely didn't look like one. But then again, she said she had helped her. And the longer Savenna thought about it, the familiar her voice felt. And although the memories were clouded, she had no other choice than accept her authority.

"Miss...Louise", she began in the polite tone she employed with strangers since she had been a small child. "I certainly will repay you for your services. And I am very grateful for everything you have done for me. However, would it be possible to get some clothes and to go to town? It's very important." Savenna had no idea if there even was a town. She could have been lying in a barn in the middle of nowhere and she wouldn't have known. But finding Law was the only thing she cared about.

But again, Fat Louise's dirty laughter was the only thing she got in return.

"How she talks... Did you hear that, Fetch? A true upper class brat!" the butcher chuckled before becoming serious again. "Your pretty speech won't get you anywhere, princess. For the future, avoid using that Flevance accent if you don't want to get shot again. And about your request, you can as well put it up that rich girl ass of yours. I won't have you Amber Lead scum walking my streets. If somebody finds out I'm hiding you, the marines will take this place apart so don't you dare even thinking of going out there!"

She had been right. This was a dungeon. Before Fat Louise even had stopped speaking, a tirade of spite was ready to sputter out of Savenna's mouth. But looking at the significant amount of blood spread over the butcher's clothes, the girl hesitated. It didn't matter who the woman thought she was, but her meaty hands which had spilled that much blood mattered a great deal. Savenna had seen enough death to know that. And not even strong enough to get up, she was in no shape to pick a fight. The girl could have cried with frustration.

"So, quit blubbering over that princess of yours. I think she's well enough for now," Fat Louise said, this time to Fetch. "We have work to do." With that, the two of them walked toward the door. Fetch gave Savenna an apologetic look before closing the door behind him.

The moment the steps disappeared in the hallway, she decided she hated that fat hag and that she was getting out of there.

But when she first looked down at herself, she swallowed. There wasn't much left of the dress she had put on the day the three of them had played Logue Town Joker. It had turned into a bloody rag, the stockings nothing more than loose threads and both her shoes and cloak were missing. Under the ripped clothes she discovered bandages covering her chest and waist. But as she carefully touched her back, she already felt the blood leaking through the gray linen. Old Trafalgar would turn around in his grave if he saw this. She would have to find new bandages once she had managed to leave this place.

Then she gritted her teeth and started escaping. Started was the correct term, for it took her at least ten minutes to stand up. Like a circus performer searching for balance, she reached for every object around her as her knees stopped supporting her weight. After having knocked down three bottles, a pile of books and a tool kit, she landed on her butt and cursed. She had the force to repeat that two times, before ending up exhausted on the floor.

 _God dammit!_ Savenna was ready to scream with rage as she realized she was slowly turning into doomed little Lamie. For a indefinite amount of time, she stared at the ceiling, obsessed with the idea of being trapped. Only when somebody knocked at the door, she had managed to push her mind back into focus.

It was the same man coming back. This time he held a little bag in his hands. He shut the door quietly and smiled at her. "I thought you might be hungry...", he said with hesitation and passed her the bag. All pretending not to see the mess she had caused. First Savenna eyed him with distrust, then feeling her empty stomach growling, she accepted the offer. Inside there were two slices of dark, dry bread and a piece of smoked ham. Instantly she forgot everything her parents had told her about not accepting food from strangers and took a large bite.

"Is she always like that?" Savenna asked chewing loudly. "Fat Louise?" She didn't have to know the man well to guess that he wasn't on really good terms with the butcher.

He gave her a wondering look and then he laughed. "Yes, pretty much..."

"Are you afraid of her?" Savenna asked. Before she could proceed with her escape plans, she needed to test these bandit's loyalties. If she had learned something about people, then that it was always better to know more about others than they did about her.

To her surprise, the tired looking man shrugged. "She's like a dog who barks a lot but rarely bites. You need to be careful with that name, though. She's quite sensitive sometimes."

"I see..." She kept eating quietly until she had enough and gave the rest of the ham to the man. She observed him with slight confusion. Since she had woken up, she had tried to figure out who he was, but now she could tell for sure that she had never seen him before. He was a complete stranger, and there had been no reason for him to help her. But at that point she was clever enough not complain and decided to ask him a question instead. "What exactly happened? How come I ended up here?"

So Fetch told her the short story of how she was rescued, of who he was and of what had happened since Flevance's last day. It turned out she had been brought to the little industrial port of Fort Esperance. Savenna could have laughed at the irony.

As far as she knew, it had once been an influential port which had started decaying the day the miners had discovered Amber Lead further down the coast. After having been Flevance's economical equal for years, the town faded continually in the White City's shadow. Today its few ships traded with mediocre coal and iron. Looking at the fogged, dirty window, she remembered that its air was told to be unusually polluted due to the coal mines set too close to the town. Thinking back, she had always imagined this place to be deserted because lots of people left every year to seek employment elsewhere. If she remembered correctly, half of her house staff had been from Fort Esperance. Her mother had always pitied the men and women with the gray suitcases and pretended to be charitable by giving them a job.

She listened to Fetch's voice in silence. He didn't seem like the bandits who had robbed Magdalena at the docks. Even though he couldn't be younger than her father when he died, his goofy limbs made him look like a teenager who had aged too quickly. She could see fear and superstition in his sad eyes and couldn't help but wonder if he was really able to harm people. What a poor man, she thought. Fat Louise could crush him like an insect if she wanted to. Savenna didn't need much time to figure out that Fetch would never lay a finger on her.

"Fetch? Is that even a name?", she wanted to know and permitted herself to giggle.

"Not really. It's more of a nickname, I guess," he said.

"What's your real name?" As usual, it didn't take her long to grow comfortable with people who cared more about her than she cared about them.

Fetch hesitated a little as if he were ashamed. Then he said: "Herbert...But nobody calls me that anymore." His voice turned sorrowful. Savenna's sharp eyes narrowed until she realized what it was. Regret.

"What about you? Do you have a name?" he asked carefully. Against all expectation, the question hit her like a hammer. Now it was she who felt lost. It was only a name but suddenly it was more than that. She couldn't help but think of all people who had pronounced it in a loving way. Voices she would never hear again. But fortunately, she remembered someone whose memory wouldn't cause her any grief.

"Sava...My name is Sava. No last name," she replied. Lamie had turned out to be good for something at last, she thought, feeling the familiar disdain for the little sister she had never had. Fetch nodded and they sat there in silence for a while.

"How are you feeling about...this?", he asked awkwardly. First Savenna didn't understand what he meant, then it dawned on her.

"Oh, Amber Lead you mean? It's fine, I guess...", she figured, giving him a smile in return.

Fetch didn't seem convinced. "But your skin is entirely white...why aren't you..."

"Dead?", she helped him out. Fetch nodded. Savenna shook her almost transparent mane. "I don't know, really. Somebody once said I was tougher than others and I like to believe that too." Modesty wasn't one of her virtues and she stopped pretending it to be one. Especially if it meant not to end up like dead Lamie.

Fetch didn't know what to reply. She didn't seem like other kids he knew, in fact she hardly seemed like a kid at all. There was something almost serene in the way she talked about things inspring horror among the citizens of Fort Esperance. Then he gathered his wits and said the only appropriate thing to say, "I'm truly sorry for what's happened to your people... You must have lost a great deal that day. We didn't like you White City folk very much, but the whole story struck us pretty hard too... We would've helped if it wasn't for the marines and the government, you know..."

Fetch didn't seem like somebody who was good with words but nonetheless, his effort made her feel a little better. "Thanks, Fetch. I'm sorry too..."

"For what?", the grave robber asked.

Savenna shrugged. "You seem like you have lost somebody too. If it's any help, I know how it feels."

Fetch gave her a bitter, half-surprised look. "How did you know?"

"Lucky guess," she replied, waiting for him to say something. As he stayed silent, she lowered her glance. "Saving me was something personal, am I right?"

Confused, Fetch stared back at her, not sure if he should be scared or relieved. That girl couldn't be older than ten, but she happened to look into him as if he was made out of pure glass. There was something deeply terrifying about her, but at the same time she seemed so familiar that he had no other choice than to speak. Although she hadn't asked him to tell the story, he started out anyway, rubbing his aching temples.

"It was a long time ago, long before I came here," he began. He looked at Savenna who like a mother, gave him an encouraging look. "We lived in a small village in the south. I always dreamed to go to sea, but my wife never wanted me to. 'I won't have Sophie grow up without a father', she had always said at the end of the argument, right before our daughter came down the stairs to make sure everything was alright. But as usual, money was short and I had to do something. Fishing wasn't really paying off and there wasn't anything else I could do. So, I decided to sign up for the marines."

"What did your wife say?" Savenna asked hesitantly.

Fetch gave a sharp laugh in return. "I didn't tell her. I knew she wouldn't let me. I left a note on the table the morning I went away. I'm know I'm not very bright, but that was the stupidest thing I've ever done."

"What happened then? Was she angry with you?"

Fetch shrugged sadly. "Probably. I never found out. She didn't answer any of my letters. After three months of service, I was sent home with a first salary without knowing what prize I still had to pay. As the ship entered the harbor, there was hardly anything left of my village. A bunch of pirates had burned it down only a week before I arrived. According to the survivors my wife and daughter died in the fire."

Mechanically, Savenna stiffened. Instead of seeing Fetch Herbert's family, she was watching Law standing in front of the burning hospital. Remembering the madness in his eyes. Even though she wasn't listening, Fetch had gone on, "Since then I haven't had the courage to come home. I didn't even put flowers on the grave."

Savenna swallowed hard. She had read so many books on pirates and Gold Roger's crew that she had completely ignored that they were criminals, violent men who caused suffering. Thinking back to Magdalena's brother who had died in Impel Down, Savenna started to understand that there were always two sides to one story.

Trapped in her thoughts, she didn't realize Fetch was watching her with old grief written all over his face. "Sophie...She probably would be your age now. That's what I thought, when I saw you in the snow. I'd no idea who you were, but I couldn't have any other ghosts haunting me," he admitted soundlessly. "So I didn't do it out of kindheartedness, if it's that what you mean. I was just scared that once the sun goes down, you too would find me and make my life even more miserable than it already is."

Savenna smiled coldly. Out of sheer luck, her threat had achieved its goal, even though Fetch had never heard her pronounce it. If she had thought about it any longer, she would have realized how scary her willpower truly was.

"I'm sorry, Fetch. I am, really...I wish all of this would have happened to somebody else."

"What about you?", she suddenly heard him ask. "Who's that person you're searching for? Friends or family?"

Savenna hesitated. Then with a bitter taste in her mouth, she managed a weak smile. "Family...he's definitely family."

"Well", Fetch sighed and got up briskly. "Then we have to find him."

"What?"

"You left the city together, I suppose? Four days isn't that long, we still might find him in town. There's one refugee camp the marines haven't found yet. That's where he might be. But we have to hurry and get there before somebody sells them out," Fetch said with sudden determination and walked across the room. Savenna couldn't believe her ears.

"Wait! What about Fat Louise? She'll kill us if she finds out!" the girl objected, pressing her hand against her wound as she tried to get up again.

"Don't worry. Leave her to me," he replied while rummaging in a wooden box under the table. A couple of moments later, he had fished out a shirt and worn-out trousers. "I think that will do. As long as you stick with me and cover your skin, nobody will notice." Then he tossed the clothes over to Savenna who was still staring at him with disbelief. "And you'd better get rid of that dress. It might have saved you once, but I don't think it would be wise to push your luck..." With that he showed her the Amber Lead splinter the butcher had retrieved from the cloth. She looked lost before her face twisted into an angry grimace. Surviving the attack hadn't been enough. Amber Lead would follow her wherever she went. Disgusted, she started peeling herself out of the bloody dress, and once she was done she asked Fetch to throw it into the fire.

Wordlessly, the thief did as he was told.

"Why are you doing this for me? You don't even know me", she wanted to know, wrapped in her blanket. It was one thing for him to save a little girl from the cold but another to disobey direct orders. She didn't even want to imagine what he was risking by doing this. Then, for the first time, she saw the spark of confidence in Fetch's eyes.

"I won't find my family again, no matter what I do. The least I can do, is help you find yours."

"Would that relieve your guilty conscience?", she asked with a frown.

"It most certainly would", he confirmed almost smiling. Only after finding the selfish motif behind his proposition, she was convinced of his honesty.

Then she let Fetch help her with shirt and shoes and let him wrap her into a smelly, leather cloak. Forgetting about her bleeding back, she threw her arms around the thief's neck as he took her piggyback.

With the hope of seeing Law again, she took a deep breath and smiled with both corners of her mouth. _Maybe not everything was lost after all,_ she thought as they finally left the airless room and stepped on the dusty street.


	10. Land of the Sleepless

Hey guys! :-)

To everyone who took their time to read and review this story, thank you all so very much! I'm sorry it took me so long to update (2 years - oh my, shame on me). It seems I got lost on the path of life...  
Since I never got to finish this story, it kind of stuck with me - so here I am with the attempt to give Law and Savenna their well-deserved happy ending.

Again, thank you for your patience and your enthusiasm, and I hope you guys are still here...

* * *

Savenna didn't remember seeing proper daylight since she had crossed the Flevance border. No matter where she turned her face, something was always blocking the sun. The scent of burning iron itched in her nose. Gray dust had already settled on the long sleeves of her coat. In the distance, she could hear the familiar hammering of the mines, only here they weren't digging up chunks of white, poisonous metal.

Heavy clouds were rolling in from the mountains, and dispersed slowly over the bay before drifting out onto the sea. Even with its people gone, it was as if the White City still managed to cast a shadow over its northern neighbor. Like a wet blanket, blue fog was hovering over Fort Esperance, gathering in back alleys, occasionally spitting out a hooded figure before engulfing another. On the main road, facades of closed-up shops followed empty street corners, each of them looking so similar that it was hard to tell whether Savenna and Fetch were actually making headway. Even sound seemed to travel in circles, the echo of their steps disappearing and returning in the fog. It felt as if they had been walking for ages, erring through a labyrinth of abandoned houses with frozen windows.

With the familiar feeling of disdain, Savenna took her time observing the pitiful town and the dirty, pitiful people in it. But then until she realized that this was all there was left. She took a deep breath and pressed her cheek against the coarse fabric of Fetch's coat, trying to get warm.

"How long have these houses been abandoned?" she asked to distract herself.

The thief shrugged. "Back in the days this has been the merchant's quarter. Even though you can't see much of it now, here's where all the rich folk lived. Some of them owned entire fleets and shipped off iron all across the North Blue. But when they struck lead in the south, the money moved to Flevance and everything else with it. They say it was the end of an era."

Savenna smiled coldly. After causing years of envy and misery, Flevance had paid the price. Maybe hundred years from now, the same snow would be falling on the ruins of her home, on the cards scattered on the floor and the books stuck between the pipes.

Fetch felt the girl's arms getting tired but didn't dare quicken his pace. "Hold on just a while longer," the thief muttered. "The last I heard, they were hiding in an empty ship's carcass next to old port. We're almost there."

As they turned around the next corner, Savenna understood Fat Louise's concern. The street teemed with marines whose white uniforms managed to stay unstained in the polluted air. With their caps up straight and the guns loaded, they were searching houses, pushing people out of doors and stopping everyone who appeared the least bit suspicious. A woman stood half naked, shivering in the cold, while two marines examined the skin on her back.

Savenna pulled her hood deeper and brushed back the loose strands of her white hair. "They are still looking for survivors," she whispered, feeling hopeful and fearful at the same time. Fetch nodded and took the advantage of a marine turning his back to them to dive into the next back alley. As they went on, shops like Louise's began to appear but none of the few people they passed dared to go inside. Most of them were fronts for gangs like their own, and common folk tried to avoid them.

"What about the marines? Don't you get in trouble if everybody knows about what you do?" Savenna wanted to know.

"The bosses pay them off. Louise does it with the money we bring back from our raids. It's like paying taxes if you want. If they get their money, they skip our quarter during the rounds. Now they have bigger trouble on their hands." When Savenna didn't reply, he added clumsily, "Sorry, I didn't mean to..."

But the girl was hardly listening. The salty smell of the sea had reached her nose and Savenna's pulse quickened.

 _Law_.

He was close.

The desire to see a familiar face was suddenly so strong that Savenna almost yelled at Fetch to walk faster.

As they finally stepped out on the pier however, she felt a wave of disappointment. The town port was nothing like she expected. A part from a couple of desolate fishing boats and a half-sunken warship, there was no vessel that could have brought them past the three marine cruisers anchored in the bay. They would have a hard time getting out of this place.

The stench of rotting fish crept into her nose. The tide had left behind parts of rusting ship hulks and mussels shells picked out by the gulls. As Fetch ventured out into the bay, his feet sunk into sticky mud. Only when she almost fell off his back, the thief agreed to put her down.

The shape of the ship carcass was hidden in the iron fog and whatever traces might have led back to the shore, had been washed away by the tide. Savenna listened carefully for voices inside, but couldn't hear anything.

"Come on, quickly," Fetch hissed. On wobbling knees the girl followed in the thief's big footsteps. There wasn't much time. Voices were rising from the old harbor. Afraid of attracting unwanted attention, they crept up to the carcass from the lee. There was a place where waves had smashed a hole in the rotting wood. That's where they would enter.

Savenna forced herself to breathe steadily. Remembering pain pinching her heart whenever she ran or got upset, she tried to stay calm. Now of all times she couldn't allow herself to pass out.

Indeed, at the rear of the ship, a piece of cloth fluttered over a whole of three missing planks. Savenna wanted to object when Fetch insisted on going in first, but she decided to save her strength. The thief pounded three times against the wood.

No answer. Fetch tried it again but no one replied. "They must be extra careful with the marines around," Savenna figured.

"Seems so." But suddenly Fetch didn't seem convinced by this own words. Eventually he ducked his head and pushed the cloth aside. Just as Savenna wanted to go after him, he came rushing out, looking pale.

"No, don't...," he objected as she hurried past him. The inside was dark, apart from the rays of cold daylight piercing the room through cracks and bullet holes. A foul, stuffy smell almost made Savenna retch.

"Hello?" she tried calling in the dark. "Law?"

But the only thing coming back was an airless echo. "Law, are you there?" she called, louder this time. Nothing. Only as her eyes began to adjust to the darkness, she realized the room was empty. The shadows in the corner were but piled up boxes and overturned barrels.

Fetch came after her and tried to hold her back, but the cold touch of her hand made him retreat. Disoriented, Savenna walked on. Suddenly her the soles of her shoes touched on something slippery and as she caught hold of a cracked beam, she realized it was blood.

"What happened here?" she whispered. Fetch didn't know, but he couldn't wait to get out of there. The place reeked of death, and there was no guarantee that whoever did this wouldn't come back. He did everything he could to persuade the girl to leave, but Savenna wouldn't listen. Like a sailor gone mad on a desert island, she trashed through the ship searching every corner for whatever ghosted through her head.

Much had been left behind. Trunks, suitcases, shoes and winter coats. Someone had definitely been here, and Savenna kept wondering how these people had managed to bring their belongings this far. In one of the trunks she discovered an empty jewel case and held it under the daylight entering through the bullet holes, where it revealed its white shimmer.

Amber Lead. Stubborn, stupid people!

As Savenna turned it upside down, her stomach twisted. There was her family name, cursively engraved into the poisonous metal. Their own deathly merchandise. How many of these her father had shipped across the world? She let it fall on the floor with sorrow and disgust, and went on searching.

What for she didn't know. Obviously, Law wasn't there. No matter how strongly she had imagined him to be, it hadn't been enough to conjure him up. But she wasn't ready to accept it. She crept in every corner, under ever beam and as her hands were full of splinters, her fingers closed around a furry piece of cloth. Carefully, she pulled it into the open.

She recognized the hat immediately. She had made fun of it a thousand times.

Now there was just time enough to pull it close before she was sick.

Fetch carried her back into the old port, kicking and screaming. Staying calm hadn't worked out. Savenna took her grief out on the man until she hung exhausted in his arms, eyes wide open and fingers clutched around Law's mushroom hat. Half of the gray fur was gone and blood had dried on the right side. There was no way of knowing whose it was.

Luckily, the voices they had heard didn't belong to the marines. The men hanging around the harbor were from a gang no different that Louise's, and remembered Fetch from one blurry evening at the butcher's. They were standing outside the old port tavern, when Fetch put the girl down on a bench. She had a wild look about her but remained silent. They weren't particularly nosy. Telling them he had brought Savenna to the hideout to check if there was still something to loot, seemed to be enough information for them.

"Pity. You guys should have come earlier. Three hours ago those suitcases were quite full," one of them mentioned, loudly chewing his tobacco.

"What happened to the hideout? Seemed pretty empty in there," Fetch wondered, trying hard not to show more interest than he was entitled to. The men furrowed their brows. "You mean you don't know?"

The thief shook his head.

"That's strange. The butcher being the one who's sold them out..."

"What?"

Both Savenna and Fetch turned around with disbelief. The girl had just enough sense to look away before one of them recognized the lightness of her skin. "Apparently Fat Louise sent a messenger to the marine quarters yesterday. Nobody had the guts to do that before. The rest of the Flevance folk paid us, you know. So we keep our mouths shut. Nothing wrong with that if you ask me... But that hag wouldn't have any of that. She went straight to captain Montmort, that bastard, and gave them away." The casual tone had gone from his voice. "At dawn the whole marine corps was down here."

"Where did they bring them? The Flevance people," Savenna wanted to know, her voice sounding like that of an old woman. The man looked down to meet her gaze, but her white eyes kept staring into space. Finally he shrugged and said, "Nowhere. The marines had them all shot. Piled them up on boats, set them on fire and let them drift out to sea. No one wanted the poison buried here. It was bad smoke, took ages to go away."

Against Fetch's warning the girl stormed into the butcher's back room. He had considered locking her up for her own good, but she was quicker. Half the gang had gathered in the kitchen, dozing and waiting for their shifts to start when Savenna burst through the door. Fat Louise was sitting behind the counter, lazily picking her teeth with a knife. As soon as she saw Savenna, a wide grin twisted her lips, revealing a few missing teeth "Well, it looks like someone ignored my orders and went out for a stroll."

"Shut up, you fat peasant cow! How could you? Do you have any idea what you've done?" Savenna yelled, her tired features filled with rage. Sudden everyone was awake and the first heads turned around when she smashed Law's hat on the counter. "My people are dead because of you! And for that I'm going to kill you with my own hands, you proletarian piece of trash!"

The room was silent. Every pair of eyes wandered to the butcher, secretly afraid of her reaction. Fetch himself stood frozen in the doorway, unsure whether he had the guts to intervene.

"Fancy words to insult a simple woman," Fat Louise chuckled and put the knife down. When she got up and started walking toward her, Savenna realized she'd better figure out how to carry out her threat. But before she could even think of making the woman faint, a steady hand was smacked across her face. So much for a dog that didn't bite. The blow was so hard it swept the girl off her feet. Only when Savenna hit the floor, the other gang members dared to share Fat Louise's sharp giggle. Fetch wanted to rush to the girl's side, but the butcher's gaze told him to stay put.

"Well, I wonder how you're going to do that from down there, princess," she ventured.

"Go die!" Savenna spat. She was silenced by a kick in her stomach. The butcher shook her head with disappointment.

"I'm afraid you'd have to make that happen yourself, now that you promised. So get up and show me those murderous hands of yours."

Savenna's limbs felt heavier than before, and as she saw Law's forlorn hat lying on the counter, she wondered if she could get up at all. Only her wounded pride straightened her spine and pushed her back up. But before she could even attempt to attack the butcher, she tumbled back down.

Confident laughter filled the back room. Hot cheeks pressed to the floor tiles, Savenna could only see the dirty boots of the butcher looming over her. "So, now that we've sorted this out, you might as well listen up. Never question my authority again, princess. And should you plan on killing me, for Roger's sake, do it when you're ready. Anything else would be a waste of my time."

The laughter grew louder. Savenna could hear Catch's raspy voice somewhere in the corner. "And just so you know, I saved your sorry ass. I gave those marines what they wanted so they won't come looking for _you_. That should be enough, don't you think?" A heavy laugh escaped the woman's throat. "Here only selfish trash survives. I thought you'd already know that. After all, you're the only one who made it this far in one piece." The group was disappointed when the girl finally remained silent.

"And you are going to pay for disobeying me. Clearing your debts won't be enough after what you and Fetch pulled off today." The butcher didn't take much time to come up with an appropriate punishment. "I want a map of Flevance. Warehouses, stocks, mansions, all that's left in that forsaken place. And remember, if you resist I'll put those bullets back where they belong!"

Savenna was locked in the cellar where she wouldn't see daylight for three full days. At at Louise's orders two smelly bandits had left her in a corner with two damp pieces of paper and coal pencil. But even if she had given in to the butcher's demands, she wouldn't have been able to do as she was told.

The trip to the harbor had drained whatever force she had recovered since her escape from Flevance. Her legs remained in the same uncomfortable position, her arms twisted in the same angle. Even moving her head felt like a feat she wasn't ready to perform. For some time she believed her throat was sore from calling Fetch, and insulting the drunks scavenging the cellar for rum. But as she actually tried to open her mouth, she knew she had been imagining it. Her jaw had become too heavy to lift. She didn't know how much time had passed before she lost feeling in her back. The cutting pain left by the bullets had disappeared, and Savenna could hardly tell if the wall she was leaning on was still there.

The wild anger that had made her jump right into the lion's den slowly subsided. The pain she imagined inflicting on the butcher, didn't bring her any satisfaction. Her rage faded until there were only Fat Louise's words echoing in her head. No matter how she despised the woman for what she had done, she knew that deep down she was right.

Law had forfeit his desire to live a long time ago. For him, it was over when the flames had engulfed the hospital and the ones he loved. He would never have left home. Stubborn and heart-broken, he would have walked back into the hospital, crawled next to Lamie and held her hand. The smoke would have made him fall asleep like everyone else. He had always been the rational one, the grown-up. He had no illusions of adventure, no childish hopes of fairy tales coming true.

If it weren't for her, none of this would have happened. If she had only listened to him for once and stopped acting like a brat willing to do everything to have her way. After all this time she had learned nothing. She had pushed him further than he was ready to go, just because she believed that a happy end was waiting for them somewhere else.

But her stubbornness had achieved nothing. She was strong enough to turn back time, or to keep a simple promise. Instead of leaving him with his family, she had made Law walk toward a smoking gun by himself. Knowing, counting down steps and heart beats.

She had only saved herself.

Suddenly Savenna was back in hospital, sweating with fever on Law's narrow cot. Whether it was exhaustion or Amber Lead playing tricks on mind she didn't know, but she stopped resisting the images flooding her head.

In the half-dark, she recognized a small figure materializing in the corner. It was crouching, the head pressed against the wall. She saw herself getting up and walking toward it. But the room expanded and it felt like weeks passed before she could come any closer. When her feet finally reached their destination, she saw it was him. Law's face was haggard, his black hair sticky with blood. The wooden wall behind him was pierced with bullet holes leading into bottomless space. All times of day had merged into a directionless twilight, only heavy iron dust left floating in the air.

She wanted to fling her arms around him but he cut her off. He complained about his arm. He didn't sound like a doctor. He was scared. His arm hurt and he couldn't move his fingers. Distressed, Savenna took a closer look and saw that it had been punctured by bullets; there was hardly anything left but fractured bones.

"Just...sit tight, Law," she stammered. "I'll help you!" And as she turned around, there was Dr Trafalgar's medical kit sitting on a table. Savenna almost jumped on it, but the only tools she found were the scalpel Law had used to dissect the squirrel, searching for a cure for Amber Lead poisoning; the shot he had shoved into her shoulder after dragging her in the icy bathtub, and the needle and yarn which had served to sew the boys' hands together to buy them time.

Convinced she could do protect him like she had that night, she grabbed the scalpel and started severing her left arm at the shoulder. She expected it to hurt, but it came off like a piece of clothing. Meanwhile Law's condition worsened. He'd almost passed out when she remembered giving him the shot. Then she started replacing his arm with her own. "Hold still now. It's just a few stitches," she whispered, sticking the needle deep under his skin. But no matter how many stitches she made, they all popped up again. She started over and sewed until there was no yarn left.

She hadn't done anything at all.

A tray with food had been brought to her, but Savenna was caught in a loop of repeating dreams. Next time she saw Law, he stood by the small hospital window, watching her through a blind, bleeding eye. The bullet had shattered his eye-ball, making him look like one of the antique dolls she had inherited from her mother. Only his healthy eye looked at her with flat disappointment. He remained silent, while she grabbed the same scalpel and cut out her eye to give it to him. She kept pushing and squeezing but it didn't work. He was so disgusted by her sight that he would rather go blind than accept a part of her.

Over the next hours Savenna fought for his life many times. But with every body part she gave up, he seemed to get angrier. She could prevent neither his death nor his resentment for her. When she had finally cut out her heart and fiercely tried to stuff it into his chest, she was crying with frustration. She had connected all the blood vessels, but the heart wouldn't start beating. "Please, Law, tell me how this works! I can't do it!"

His gaze was dark, mocking. "Of course, you can't. There's nothing there." The next moment she was holding a block of blue ice melting into dirty puddles at her feet.

"Dying at last, I see. Finally! We started thinking that brat was immortal. I just hope the lead will keep the nasty soul inside," Catch muttered, staring over Fat Louise's shoulder to satisfy a morbid curiosity. Meanwhile, despite the dark rings under her eyes, the butcher was patting the girl's burning forehead with chunks of ice wrapped in an old rag.

"She's not gone yet, she'll hear you", the she grumbled, before she started changing the bandages on Savenna's back.

"Her organs are failing. There's not much she can do about that. Why do you even bother?" The butcher didn't answer. "Go and be useful somewhere else. See if Fetch has some of that medicine left. She's not crying or anything, I don't know what she needs..."

Catch turned around begrudgingly and left.

A week had passed since the incident in the back room. The wounds on Savenna's back had caught a nasty infection after her trip to town, and she had been feverish ever since.

Fat Louise was far from being a doctor. The only thing that qualified her for the job of fixing people, were her unbreakable nerves and steady stomach. However, usually her patients died under her knife right away or were able to walk out of her establishment the next day. But this time even Catch could tell that the clumsy stitches on Savenna's back didn't look well.

She wouldn't eat or close an eye at night. Fat Louise tried feeding her with a spoon like an infant, but Savenna wouldn't have anything but water and a few gulps of rum. All that time she kept dreaming with her eyes open, staring frantically at the same spot in front of her. And the longer her she was awake, the more invisible the people around her became. First she stopped insulting Louise, then she ceased answering at all. If the butcher didn't know better, she'd think that whatever she was staring at during the day, was poisoning her at night.

Her white skin was slowly turning yellow - either her liver of her kidneys were failing. Louise had seen it with members of her gang who had had one glass too many. Sometimes at night she would yelp like a someone drowning, gasping for air, even though the little window was cracked open.

Laboriously, Fat Louise got up and closed it for the night. A snow storm was coming.

After disobeying the butcher and putting the whole gang at risk as she called it, Fetch had been imposed his own punishment. While Savenna had still been locked in the cellar, he had been ordered to transport stolen goods from the butcher's shop into the secret warehouse. It was a job everyone avoided passionately, since it required sneaking through the town's back alleys in during the worst hours of the day. But well aware of Fat Louise's spitefulness, the thief didn't complain. He carried bags and boxed through the night, as gray snow fell from the sky and the north wind threatened to freeze his eye-balls. And as the passer-by started seeking shelter from the storm, he didn't intend to stop.

Even though the butcher hadn't forbidden him to see the girl between his shifts, they didn't see much of him. First, he had made a huge fuss and insisted Fat Louise should let her out. She was sick, for Roger's sake! But since her health had started declining, his visits became scarce. The gang which had started to take interest in the matter either because of the potential loot the girl would bring in, or simply because they wanted to see someone challenge their leader, believed he regretted bringing her back. Some said he was scared of the Flevance curse. Catch however, swore the man was in pretty bad shape himself. The girl's condition hit him hard. He couldn't stand seeing her like his. The fact was, that since she'd stopped eating, he had stopped visiting her at all.

Fat Louise had better things to do at that time than running after him. As long as his duties were done, she had nothing to say about the matter. In Fetch's absence she had brought the girl into his room to keep her out of the way. Her nasty looks didn't exactly brighten the mood. But as she moved her now to clean her wounds, she could swear her limbs were getting heavier. She must be imagining it.

However, after sending Catch away, she had to admit there wasn't much she could do if the girl refused to get better. She had sent one of the new underlings to start digging that grave two days ago, just in case. The earth would be frozen in that time of year, so better to get a head start.

Irritated about the time she was losing because of her patient and frustrated that none of her remedies seemed to work, she spent the entire day at Savenna's side, fearing for her own future with every sweat drop rolling over the girl's forehead.

Their money was running out. If they were to maintain the generous bribes they paid to the marines to leave their business alone, new income must be found, and the ruins of Flevance were the obvious solution. The last raid had brought them more ten times a much money as they earned in a month. But they needed the maps, if they wanted to extend their range. With the heavy security on the borders and the marines on their back, walking into Flevance without a plan was nothing short of suicide. Hence, Fat Louise was very unwilling to let the girl die so soon after she had found a suitable purpose for her.

However, two hours later there was still no sign of Catch or the medicine she had sent for. So Fat Louise got up and after shooting the girl a last skeptical glance, she walked back into the kitchen. Apart from a few snoring bandits, it was empty and no sign of either Catch or Fetch. The butcher cursed. Suddenly she heard the sharp sound of a shovel hitting frozen ground. Glad that at least someone was following her orders, she opened the back door and to her slight confusion, saw Fetch heaving chunks of earth and stone out of a small hole in the yard.

"You're not thinking of burying her here, are you? You know the guys, once they're dunk enough they'll be convinced she's haunting the place and I don't want to know where that brings us," she called past the howling wind. Violent gusts we tearing on Fetch's coat and swirled up the snow at his feet.

The thief paused. Then he went back to his digging, as if he hadn't heard anything.

Fat Louise's patience was running out. "Are you listening to me? That's a bad spot! And I didn't order you to do this...You better get inside anyway. With that storm coming, you'd just catch death out here."

"Does it matter?" Fetch asked, finally turning around. "I'm as good as anyone else." Only as the butcher stepped closer, did her eyes fall on the backpack leaning against the door frame. Seeing the determination in his movements, and a piece of a sleeping back peeking out of the pack, the gang leader realized he was leaving. While he went back to punching the ground like a madman, the butcher stepped quietly into the snow. "Where you at least planning on leaving a note, or how exactly was I to find out you were gone?" she asked sourly.

The thief shrugged.

"Oh, I see. Maybe Catch would have told me after he'd sobered up."

Fetch shot her an irritated gaze. "What do you want me to say?"

The usual roaring laughter escaped the butcher's throat, and died within the snowy walls of the court yard. "I came here to ask whether you had more of that medicine you stole. You know, for the Flevance brat _you_ brought here, remember?"

"That's gone," he replied sharply and wanted to go back to work. But before he could plunge the spade back into the earth, the butcher had caught him by the shoulder and punched him in the face. "Well, it seems I need to teach you a thing or two", she spat while he was holding his broken nose, hissing curses. "I see the brat isn't the only one who needs to learn about respect and responsibility." The thief hoped that the punch would have done it, but Fat Louise was just warming up.

"You know, I always defended you when they called you a coward behind your back. But it seems you're as weak as they say, running away when things get ugly, unable to finish what you started. That's exactly what cowards do."

The butcher laughed again, only this time there was no amusement in her voice. "You call me cruel, but what the hell is this? I don't care for the girl's feelings - she could be dead next morning. But what about me? I took you in when you had nothing. I gave you food, a job and a place to sleep. And this is how you repay me? By running away and leaving me with a ticking bomb on my hands? I'd expect something like this from Catch, but not from you. That's not the way we do things here."

"You don't understand..." Fetch said, desperately searching for the right words. Dark blood was running down his chin and into his collar. "I can't do this...Not again. I thought I could help her and become a better person, but I can't. I'm failing again and it's too hard."

Fat Louise's features softened for a moment. Then she came closer, put a hand on his shoulder and said, "I don't understand and I couldn't care less what kind of person you are. And I bet neither does she." Then she picked up the shovel and pushed it harshly into the thief's hands. "I don't know why you helped her, and I don't want to find out. But if it's redemption you're looking for, I suggest you face the music, be good or bad. It's your brat, Herbert. You brought her here, so you bury her."

With that she left him bleeding over the shallow hole in the earth, the icy winds rising around him.

It took Fetch an half an hour to pick up what was left of his courage, ten minutes to clean his nose and another fifteen to dig up his backpack from under the snow. And when his drenched, unimpressive figure was finally standing in the doorway, Fat Louise knew she had won.

As the snow storm went on, trapping them inside the house, Fetch himself had started to change. He had the reputation of sticking to himself and of completing all of his tasks quietly. His great ability was that of disappearing in the crowd and of remaining unseen. He managed to adapt to whatever environment he happened to find himself in without attracting attention. Calm and very much uninteresting, he was someone who would be overlooked and whose face would be forgotten the moment he walked out of the room.

That natural, undramatic way of his had not only delivered Louise valuable information, but also loot that no ordinary bandit would have been able to get his hands on. He had stolen navigational charts from under the nose of a marine officer, and managed to swipe a rival gang leader's most intimate possessions, after walking in to their quarters and convincing him that he'd been part of his crew for thirteen years. He had just one of those faces. Having no home and no attachments left, Fetch could walk the streets and pretend to belong wherever he lay his head.

That changed the day he returned to the girl he had almost left behind. He started out by tricking her to eat. As if she were a dog, he tried pouring sugar on everything he served her. When that didn't work, he tried reading her bedtime stories to make her fall asleep. When that failed, he moved to more drastic methods.

Without Louise's consent and in spite of the storm, he'd had two pharmacies robbed and hadn't even bothered to clean up the mess. Louise didn't like that. What she liked even less was him trying to bribe a doctor to see the girl. Of course, as soon as the old man had heard about Amber Lead, he said he'd rather take a bullet than get involved. And now Louise had to arrange that too, once the snow had stopped.

Fetch remained his taciturn self when she confronted him. But left alone with her patient he just wouldn't shut up, talking as if to chase the silence. Hearing that Louise was surprised he knew more that the fifty-something words which made up his usual vocabulary. And she was completely at a loss when he showed up with a tacky dollhouse.

Bumped on two sides, and with its blue color peeling off, he ugly thing had belonged to one of her whores who had been unfortunate enough to end up with a child. The butcher had forgotten that she'd wanted to sell it for a cheap price, when it suddenly made it back to daylight.

"What on earth did you dig that out for?" she asked, brows furrowed. The thief shrugged. "She's a kid after all. Kids like toys... Maybe she'd like to play when she gets better."

"Whatever. Just don't make it get in the way," she grumbled, shaking her head. He might be losing his mind, who could tell? In that state the girl wouldn't be playing with dolls anytime soon. When Fetch sat down next to her and emptied a bag filled with dusty, broken dolls, Savenna wasn't conscious of his presence.

He wasn't as delusional as Louise believed. He knew that there wasn't much that he could do, and that the girl would die before he could make up for his past mistakes. But he wouldn't be running away this time.

Outside the wind was howling and inside the butcher's quarters were filled with smoke, smell of burned food and hushed whispers.

After pulling off his dirty gloves, Fetch grabbed a broken doll and continued their daily conversations. "I'm sure the ones you had back home were prettier," he said. "But maybe after we find some glue and plain, you'll like these too." The doll he showed her had lost both her hair and two of her limbs. Meditatively, Fetch pulled a yarn out of the old carpet he was sitting on, and began reattaching the arm to its torso.

"Louise is by far not the kindest person around here. Roger knows how much we fear her... I'm sorry I wasn't able to stop her before she sold your people out," he said with pinching honesty. "I don't think she did it out of cruelty though, you know. All she thinks about is her business and keeping it as far away from the marines as possible. Her business is all she has. And dealing with guys like Catch and the captain Montmort...it forged her quite a rough character." Fetch paused to fish the doll's leg out of the dusty pile. "She is right about many things, but she can still be wrong about others."

For a moment, the thief believed he could sense the girl's eyes move in this direction. "Failing someone we love doesn't make us bad people. Even though that's how it often feels. It happens to many of us. To some even more that once..." He paused, unsure what to say next. He would have like her to yell at him, he knew she wouldn't. "I thought I was such a person, but just now someone reminded me that failing means only that we're not as strong as we would like to be. I know I wasn't."

Savenna gave no sign of whether she had heard him, so he went on. "Louise called us selfish, and for most of us that's probably true. But you did more for the boy with the hat than any of us would for our own family. And living to see another day doesn't make that any less true. One day you'll make it up to yourself by helping someone else."

He had brought her food every day, urging her to eat it and leaving it on her pillow during the night. But on that day, he the only thing he gave her was the patchwork doll. He placed in on her pillow, before leaning back and falling asleep against the wall.

When Louise walked in an hour later, she was so surprised, she had trouble staying quiet. Savenna's eyes were closed for the first time in days. She had fallen into a light but troubled sleep, clutching the doll so hard her fingers had undone Fetch's mending efforts. Scandalized and feeling somewhat cheated, she stood there wondering.

She had tried everything to make the girl rest but nothing seemed to work. Her sleeplessness had become quite the conversation topic among her men. People were growing uneasy in the girl's presence. Apart from Catch's enthusiasm about her kicking the bucket, the girl's condition wasn't taken lightly. The bandits who had laughed at her attempt of revenge, now refused to enter Fetch's room. And those sleeping next door started having nightmares. Amber Lead wasn't contagious, but whatever other sickness she had brought with her, was spreading among them now.

Louise took another look at the dollhouse and pondered. Before the girl had found out that Louise had sold out what was left of Flevance, she had been feeling fine. Amber Lead poisoning was there but it wasn't acute. In fact, the way she handled it, she must have been living with it for a while. From what she had overheard, the marines had found many dead in the Flevance hideout. The poisoning targeted everybody from the smallest child to the strongest man. And yet, this girl had survived. Making it out of Flevance and walking into Fort Esperance like she owned the place.

It had been the bad news that had brought her down.

First Louise had believed it impossible that the girl's willpower had pushed her this far, but the more she thought about it, the more it seemed like she survived simply because she was too stubborn to die. And now, with her temper gone the girl was entirely helpless.

Louise had seen many strange things over the years. Islands changing seasons, Devil fruits that gave people insane abilities. But if the latter was the case, the Flevance would have been cured by now. No, this was different. She wasn't dying of Amber Lead poisoning but of a broken heart. Only in some mysterious way, for her the two were linked.

All she had to do was to find a remedy that worked, so Louise decided to repeat her latest success.

The next day she banged the door open and let the food tray land on the floor only a few inches from Savenna's face. "You've had your grief, princess. That's more than most people have. Now get up."

When Savenna didn't react, Louise grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her violently against the wall. To her satisfaction, she saw a hint of fright cross the girl's face. "You think that the world owes you something after what happened, but it doesn't. I could snap your neck this very moment, and the world couldn't care less."

Savenna glanced up in confusion, expecting an outburst but the woman remained calm, clutching her shoulders firmly. "Listen carefully now, princess. I'm not the enemy here. I do what I have to to survive, but I am not the one who killed your friend. So if you're trying to punish me, you're barking up the wrong tree."

"Bad things happen. You are not the first person to lose someone and you won't be the last. You have no power over Amber Lead, and you cannot raise the dead, no matter how hard you try. But what you can do is make a decision. Either you wallow and give up on the chance you were given, or you can find those who hurt you and make them pay. The way you deal with pain is the only thing that remains completely up to you."

Making the most of the girl's short-lived attention, Louise stepped back and pulled out Law's crumpled hat. Although much time had passed since she had been young, she had recognized the girl's sore spot.

"Whoever he was, you won't ever speak of him again. Not until you find the one responsible and stab a knife in his back." Then Louise pulled the furry hat over the girl's head, and pushed a wizened apple between her teeth. "Remember, you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. Now suck it up and eat!"

The butcher made a show of storming outside, but joined Fetch lingering in the hallway instead, where the two of them watched the girl silently from afar. "And you call me chatty these days", the thief ventured.

Louise chuckled. "That one is just being dramatic. Amber Lead will get her another day, trust me." Fetch shot her a confused look, but then his features softened. He didn't know whether Savenna would make it, but he had found out for certain that underneath old layers of crudity and disregard, his leader wasn't as selfish as she claimed to be.

For a long time nothing happened. But when they started losing hope, Savenna raised her hand and took a bite.

The first apple made her sick. Her stomach felt like it was tearing itself apart from the inside. The second did the same; so did the third. But Louise didn't care for that. As long as she could force the girl to eat all the kitchen could spare, she didn't care that half of it was thrown up again. After a few days the fever broke and Savenna raised her voice for the first time to ask Fetch to change her bandages. The wounds finally started healing, and slowly transformed into two ugly purple scars.

But even though Savenna was on the way to recovery, her ghosts remained.

She had gotten used to Law dying on purpose in every part of the room she happened to have her eyes on. Halfway through her delirium, he had been joined by her mother. The tall woman used to sit next to the door, needles sticking out of her arms, while she watched her daughter with a composed smile. Savenna wanted to bury her head in her lap and ask for forgiveness, but she was never strong enough to get up.

Sometime the ships woke up under the sea, and her father's sailors kept singing through the night. Their voices made her dizzy, but drowned out the gun shots that would rattle through her head like waves hitting the shore. On especially cold nights she could see Lamie dancing through the room, jumping up and down to the rhythm to keep warm.

As if themselves caught in a fever, they seemed to have forgotten they were dead. Savenna regularly reminded herself, but telling them was useless. Like a bunch of headless chicken they erred from room to room, confused and unresponsive. However, they weren't the ones keeping her awake.

Day in day out, Law was watching her. When she was alone he would creep up to her and breathe the air out of her lungs. As their eyes met for a thousandth time in the damp darkness of the room, Savenna's head was pounding with exhaustion.

Slowly Savenna admitted the past to herself. _This must stop._ He was dead and he needed to remember.

Silently she made her decision.

When Fetch had fallen asleep and she could hear Louise snore next door, she gathered her courage. The mushroom hat hadn't moved from where Louise had put it, and Savenna pulled it deeper over her forehead when her bare feet ventured out of her cocoon. When she finally managed to get up, the floor felt unstable. Her sweaty skin prickled in the cold. On wobbly knees, she lumbered on toward a pair of dark gray eyes.

Law shot her a venomous glare as if to push her away. However, she kept going until she felt her fingers grasping his shoulders. He resisted and tried to wriggle himself out of her grip. But with a strange sense of confidence she let her arms move around him, carefully sliding over his back until she held him in a firm embrace.

That's how they would part. Her face buried in his neck, she began pulling memories out of him. One by one. Him walking toward her at school on the day they met, the ridiculous tie he wore the night she got sick, her trying to kick him out of bed, him coming back for her when the ground started trembling... Only when she understood how much she enjoyed looking back, she realized she was standing in the middle of an empty room hugging herself. Fully conscious for the first time in a long while, Savenna returned to her nest of coats, closed her eyes and fell asleep.

That night the storm passed and Law never bothered her again.

Two sunrises later, the maps of Flevance were drawn. Magdalena would have been furious: Savenna's handwriting was awful. Two of her fingers had suffered frostbite and she had to work without a ruler or a decent pen. The sheets Louise had given her hadn't been enough, so various things had to be used instead; old marine charts, cardboard and the back of wanted posters of pirates long dead.

Savenna remembered every street, the names of stores and crossroads, and the more she wrote down, the less painful it became. In the end, she'd given them jewelry stores, written down the addresses of fashionable houses and indicated which of her father's storehouses would still contain merchandise from before the outbreak. She had even given them the address of her own house, under the condition that she wouldn't see anything they brought back.

Gathered in the kitchen the bandits shot her hesitant looks, while flipping through the maps. Well aware it was what they had demanded, it still seemed unnatural for someone to give up the remnants of their home. While some reacted well to the prospects of filling their pockets, others felt even more uncomfortable in Savenna's company.

The girl was sitting on Louise's chair behind the kitchen counter, applying last corrections to her instructions, when one of the younger men came up to her and asked bluntly, "Are you sure these are correct?"

"I'm no nativagor, but my father has taught me how to read maps and sea charts when I was very young," she replied soberly.

The man shook his head with intent. "I mean, how do we know you're not trying to screw us over? It is your home we're looting after all..."

The room grew silent, prepared for debates and insults. But Savenna did nothing of that sort. Her white eyes remained cold. Louise recognized Fetch's calm settling on her features, as the girl faced her accuser.

"You have nothing to worry about. This is my home now."


End file.
